Algorithm for estimating ballistic object trajectories using an electro-optical tracking system

This paper presents an estimation algorithm designed for tracking aerial ballistic objects using measurements from an electro-optical tracking system. Building upon our previous research, which focused on estimating the trajectory and flight parameters of an unguided short-range ballistic missile with motion constrained to two dimensions, this study introduces a more advanced and practical solution. The new approach uses a flight dynamics model formulated in a three-dimensional coordinate system. Unlike the previously developed algorithm, the one described in this paper accurately determines the object’s location within a geographically oriented horizontal reference frame. It also eliminates the need for prior knowledge of the shooting direction, which would be challenging to establish in practice, and more realistically models the influence of wind on the object’s motion in three dimensions. The paper includes the mathematical model of the tracking system, the extended Kalman filter used for estimating the ballistic object’s position and other flight parameters as well as simulation results for the proposed system.