Relative attitude estimator for multi-payload attitude determination

摘要

A method and apparatus for estimating a slave payload attitude is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of accepting a plurality of slave payload attitude measurements, deriving a model of the relative attitude of the slave payload and a master payload attitude at least in part from the plurality of slave attitude measurements, predicting the relative attitude between the slave payload attitude and the master payload attitude using the derived model, and estimating the relative attitude between the slave payload attitude and the master payload attitude at least in part from the predicted relative attitude between the slave payload attitude and the master payload attitude. Furthermore, the absolute attitude of the slave payload is computed using the relative attitude and the master payload attitude.