Investigation of measurement characteristics of MLAT / WAM and ADS-B

Abstract

For several decades rotating sensors have been employed as the workhorse for air traffic surveillance purposes. Therefore, their measurement characteristic is widely understood. With the adoption of ADS-B and MLAT / WAM, experiences gained from rotating sensors are no longer valid in all aspects. This contribution investigates the specific error characteristics of these new types of sensor technologies. The goal is to obtain a deeper understanding what specific characteristics must be expected from these new sensor types.