Multi-DMEs for alternative position, navigation and timing (A-PNT)

Distance measuring equipment (DME/DME) as the main reversionary method provides alternative positioning, navigation and timing (A-PNT) services for use during a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) outage. Considering the geometry limitation of DME/DME, multi-DMEs with better geometry can be used to increase the accuracy and integrity performance of positioning. This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges related to use of multi-DMEs as an alternate source of positioning, navigation and timing. To support the performance for A-PNT, the basic idea is considering the existing installed equipment. In this paper, barometer altimeter and TACAN are used to help improve the performance of A-PNT provided by multi-DMEs both in accuracy and integrity. Based on the database of EUROCONTROL, the test results demonstrate that 79.7% of a reference area roughly matching with the continental European locations achieve RNP 1 using multi-DMEs when the DME measurement accuracy is 0.2 NM (95%). When the DME measurement accuracy is 0.1 NM (95%), 87.9% of the reference area can achieve RNP 1 using multi-DMEs. The usage of barometer/TACAN measurements aided multi-DMEs improves the performance of the accuracy and integrity monitoring.