The aim of so-called range-only target motion analysis (ROTMA) is to estimate the trajectory of a target by a single platform collecting range-only measurements. We focus on the observability analysis when the target is in constant-velocity motion. More precisely, the observability conditions are established when the observer's trajectory is composed of one or several legs. We establish a link between the Fisher information matrix (FIM), and the observability, after having proven the similarity of this matrix with the FIM encountered in bearingsonly target motion analysis (BOTMA). We compare observability statuses in BOTMA and ROTMA all along the paper.
Range-only target motion analysis (ROTMA) consists of estimating the trajectory of a target using a single platform collecting range-only measurements. Observability analysis is carried out when the target is in constant-velocity motion and the observer maneuvers gently (a constant turn motion or a constant acceleration motion). We compare observability in bearings-only target motion analysis (BOTMA) and ROTMA throughout the paper, together with the rank of the Fisher information matrix. In each case, we establish necessary and sufficient observability conditions and we identify the virtual (or ghost) targets giving the same measurements when the system is not observable.
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