Distributed Tracking with Networked, Dynamically Relocatable Sensors

Organic Air Vehicles have the potential to dramatically improve knowledge of the battlespace by providing persistent networked coverage which can dynamically adjust to changing conditions. These systems require novel algorithms which can address theproblems of positioning, sensor resource allocation, and tracking. Here we propose to define an architecture and create core algorithms which address OAV challenges by a) positioning sensors dynamically based on tracking needs in a complex and changingenvironment, b) directing sensor resources quickly in response to target tracking requirements, c) tracking with algorithms designed specifically to deal with measurements of limited dimensionality and accuracy, and d) designing these components to work ina distributed environment subject to communications limitations. The design and core algorithms, together with ALPHATECH tracking, sensor resource management, and multi-asset synchronization technology will lay the groundwork for the creation of a robust,high performance OAV tracking system. The proposed work will lay the ground work for the key control/tracking component of an OAV system. Most directly, this technology can be leveraged to support DOD programs creating autonomous sensors for both the airand ground. System components such as sensor resource management and platform positioning can also be applied to larger relocatable sensor systems such as FORESTER. Commercially these technologies can be applied to distributed sensor networks forsecurity and surveillance applications.