International telecommunication union protects spectrum to operate space-based ADS-B

Aireon LLC praises the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) for supporting global aviation safety by adopting a primary allocation of the 1090 MHz frequency band for the reception by satellite of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) signals from aircraft.  The decision, made during the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-15) in Geneva, Switzerland, protects this essential frequency for real-time flight tracking and global surveillance of aircraft through ADS-B over satellite.  This important step will extend air traffic surveillance coverage of equipped aircraft to 100 percent of the earth’s surface – from the 30 percent coverage available today.

Today, real-time air traffic control surveillance of flights cannot go beyond the line-of-sight of radar or ground-based ADS-B stations, leaving the vast majority of the planet without air traffic surveillance.  By utilizing space-based ADS-B receivers built into the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation, Aireon will present air traffic controllers with real-time air traffic surveillance information allowing for significant improvements in safety and operational efficiency. Aireon’s global air traffic surveillance solution will be operational in 2018. The allocation enables the global aviation community to use this ground-breaking capability to safely monitor, control and operate their ADS-B equipped aircraft. 

“This primary allocation is a victory for the international aviation industry:  airlines, ANSPs and the travelling public as a whole and we applaud the ITU for making air traffic safety a priority,” said Don Thoma, CEO, Aireon. “Space-based ADS-B comes with numerous benefits to airlines, ANSPs and all aviation stakeholders, in addition to real-time air traffic surveillance, such as more efficient routing, increased fuel savings and the ability for pilots to make real-time flight path adjustments to avoid poor weather.”

ADS-B technology is already widely used onboard aircraft and mandated by many state regulators and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs), including the Federal Aviation Administration, EUROCONTROL, Airservices Australia, Hong Kong, Civil Aviation Authority Singapore (CAAS) and Indonesia.  Adding satellite-based air traffic surveillance and tracking to ADS-B technology will fundamentally change the way air traffic is managed today, allowing for decreased flight separation, more efficient airport ground operations and when necessary, decreased emergency response times, worldwide.  Airlines will not have to further equip, beyond what’s mandated, to be able to utilize this global, real-time service.

According to François Rancy, Director of the ITU Radiocommunication Bureau, “ITU has worked closely with ICAO to take urgent action in the wake of recent tragedies such as MH370. We recognized a need to take all necessary steps to support improved global flight tracking and we focused many of our resources on gaining a rapid resolution. This action represents a broad collaborative effort by states and global regulators to improve safety for all aviation stakeholders and the flying public. In reaching this agreement at WRC-15, ITU has responded in record time to the expectations of the global community on global flight tracking.”

“Space-based ADS-B is a game-changing development for the international aviation industry,” said John Crichton, president and CEO of NAV CANADA. “The ITU decision to provide the necessary spectrum allocation enables us to move forward on this important technology. We look forward to implementing space-based ADS-B in our airspace and to the safety and efficiency benefits it will bring for our customers and global aviation.”

“This is a significant accomplishment for the ITU at the WRC. The primary spectrum allocation protection shows a global commitment to the safety and efficiency of air traffic,” said Roberta Neri, CEO, ENAV. “Satellite ADS-B will dramatically enhance air traffic surveillance and by having the ability to track ADS-B signals globally, it will reduce the likelihood of losing aircraft in the future. The ITU has made the issue of flight tracking a priority during its WRC; we commend their determination and support of this critical service for air traffic,”.

“The Irish Aviation Authority commends the ITU for their commitment to adopting primary allocation protection for satellite-based ADS-B tracking,” said Eamonn Brennan, CEO, Irish Aviation Authority (IAA). “IAA and Aireon are partnering to provide Aireon ALERT, a global flight tracking public service, to be used in emergency situations, once the service is operational in 2018. By having primary allocation, satellite-based ADS-B will provide the aviation industry and search and rescue community with a global, precise and accurate tracking capability.  The ITU, with the support of ICAO, has made it their mission during the WRC to enhance safety for the flying public and we applaud their successful campaign.”

The ITU is the United Nations’ specialized agency for information and communication technologies. It is charged with managing radio spectrum and satellite orbits with a goal of protecting and supporting everyone’s fundamental right to communicate.