Question

What filter is used by the FMS to estimate the position of the aircraft from various sensors?

(a) Kalman filter

(b) Position error filter

(c) GPS filter

(d) Gyro and accelerometer filter

This question was addressed to me in a national level competition.

My query is from Flight Management Systems in section Autopilots and Flight Management Systems of Avionics

Answer 1

Right choice is (a) Kalman filter

The best I can explain: The FMS combines the data from the navigational sources, comprising the inertial systems, GPS and the radio navigation systems, in a Kalman filter to derive the best estimate of the aircraft position. Each navigation system has its own advantages and limits, a Kalman filter combines the resource from all the systems to provide a more accurate position of the aircraft.