TERCOM

The terrain contour matching ( English Terrain Contour Matching, TERCOM ) is a method in the navigation can be done with the cruise missile to a target area. Here, the navigation system has a surface contour map representing the spatial profile of the overflown terrain, and the target area. At the same time, the navigation system using a radar records a surface map of the current territory overflown. The navigation system is based on its current position in space by a surface matching between stored and currently surveyed terrain contour. A common method for this surface matching is the Iterative Closest Point Algorithm.

The principle of the terrain contour adjustment is also used in medical navigation for detecting the position and orientation of a patient on an operating table.

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