Attitude Quaternion Estimation Using a Spectral Perturbation Approach
Abstract
All quaternion methods for static attitude determination currently rely on either the spectral decomposition of a 4 x 4 matrix (q-Method) or finding the maximum eigenvalue of a 4th-order characteristic equation (QUEST). Using a spectral perturbation approach, we show it is possible to analytically estimate the attitude quaternion to high accuracy and recursively calculate the maximum-likelihood attitude quaternion to arbitrary numerical precision. Analytic or recursive estimation removes several numerical difficulties which are inherent to state-of-the-art algorithms, suggesting our results may substantially benefit high-frequency and limited memory embedded software implementations, such as those commonly used on spacecraft computers.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1705.09971,
title = {Attitude Quaternion Estimation Using a Spectral Perturbation Approach},
author = {Adam L. Bruce},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1705.09971},
year = {2017}
}
Comments
Presented at the 27th AAS/AIAA Spaceflight Mechanics Meeting, February 5-9, 2017 in San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. To appear in Advances in the Astronautical Sciences, Volume 160, Part 3