The Effect of Helicopter Rotors on GPS Signal Reception

Abstract

This paper presents the results of an experiment to investigate the impact of helicopter rotor blades on GPS signal reception. An offshore transport helicopter was equipped with a measurement system including a TSO-C129 compliant receiver and a custom research receiver. GPS signals passing through rotor discs of this aircraft were found to suffer a reduction in received signal strength, leading to potential navigation and RAIM availability concerns. The phenomenon will vary between installations and receiver types. Test procedures to identify the occurrence of the phenomenon in operational GPS installations are presented, together with possible in-service monitoring programs to assess the impact on the navigation function.