Optimization of the Gain Parameters in a Tracking Module for ARPA system on Board High Dynamic Warships

Abstract

The tracking filter plays a key role in the accurate estimation and prediction of maneuvering a vessel’s position and velocity when attempting to enhance safety by avoiding collision. Therefore, in order to achieve accurate estimation and prediction, many ocean- going vessels are equipped with the Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA) system. However, the accuracy of prediction depends on the tracking filter’s ability to reduce noise and maintain a stable transient response. The purpose of this paper is to derive the optimal values of the gain parameters used in tracking a High Dynamic Warship. The algorithm employs a filter to provide accurate estimates and updates of the state variables, that is, positions, velocity and acceleration of the high dynamic warship based on previously observed values. In this study, the filtering coefficients , and are determined from set values of the damping parameter, 𝜉 . Optimization of the damping parameter, 𝜉 , is achieved experimentally by plotting the residual error against different values of the damping parameter to determine the least value of the damping parameter that results in the optimum smoothing coefficients leading to a reduction in the noise corruption effect. Further investigation of the performance of the filter indicates that optimal smoothing coefficients depend on the initial and average velocity of the target.