DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD FOR SIMULATING THE PROCESS OF IMAGE COMBINATION IN CORRELATION-EXTREME NAVIGATION SYSTEMS

The purpose of the article is to obtain an average estimate of the accuracy of determining the coordinates of an aircraft using the method of simulating the process of combining the current image with the reference image in correlation-extreme navigation systems. For this purpose, the article considers a correlation algorithm for solving the problem of combining the current image with the reference image and examines how the key distortions that arise during the current image formation impact this algorithm. The difference in the scales of the current image and reference image, the rotation of these images relative to each other, and the presence of random noise are considered distortions. Correlation-extreme navigation systems are a promising area in the field of platform-free inertial navigation systems. The principle of their operation is based on comparing the current terrain image obtained from the onboard optoelectronic system with a reference image previously stored in the system’s memory. Determining the offset between these images allows you to calculate the coordinates of the navigation object. However, due to a number of factors, such as changes in flight altitude, object tilt, atmospheric effects, etc., the current image may undergo various transformations compared to the reference image. This complicates the process of alignment and reduces the accuracy of navigation calculations. To improve the reliability of the system, it is necessary to take these transformations into account and compensate for their impact. In this paper, we model the process of image fusion, taking into account scale differences, rotatio, and other transformations. Various algorithms of image fusion are considered, such as correlation analysis, contour matching, phase correlation, and others. Their efficiency and robustness to various types of transformations are evaluated. The modeling results allow us to determine the optimal parameters of the algorithms, the ranges of permissible transformations, and the average accuracy of navigation calculations for different operating conditions of the correlation-extreme navigation systems. This information is useful for developers of navigation systems, as it allows them to increase their efficiency and reliability.