South Africa marks regional milestone - will deploy space-based ADS-B in 2018

Aireon LLC, developer of the world’s first space-based global air traffic surveillance system, announced today that it has signed a data services agreement with Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), South Africa’s Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP). Through the agreement, ATNS will have 100 percent air traffic surveillance of the Johannesburg Flight Information Region (FIR) and the Cape Town FIR, which cover approximately 10 percent of the world’s airspace. This will be done through Aireon’s satellite-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) service, scheduled to be operational in 2018.

Today, over 70 percent of the world’s airspace is outside of any real-time air traffic surveillance, limiting it to mainly terrestrial and densely populated areas. This leaves the vast majority of remote, oceanic and mountainous regions without any real-time aircraft monitoring.  ATNS has decided to implement space-based ADS-B to enable real-time visibility throughout their airspace. Increased visibility, coupled with real-time air traffic surveillance, improves both the safety and efficiency of air travel and gives air traffic control the ability to optimize airspace with more accurate, predicable data.

According to Thabani Mthiyane, chief executive officer, ATNS, “Aireon is providing the global air transport industry with a vital piece of technology that will greatly enhance air traffic management.” He added, “Much of Africa is currently without any air traffic surveillance. Aireon’s service will give us visibility into many regions, allowing us to facilitate seamless transitions between air traffic control providers. This will be achieved without any additional ground infrastructure and utilizing currently-mandated on-board avionics.”

“Once Aireon’s service is operational in 2018, our increased area of surveillance will allow us to work with our African neighbors to improve safety and air traffic efficiency across this region of the world,” concludes Mthiyane.

“ATNS demonstrates exceptional regional and global leadership in air traffic control. Their foresight to invest in a long-term solution to solve the issues of global air traffic surveillance will be welcomed across the African continent. We welcome ATNS as a launch customer and look forward to collaborating on the deployment of space-based ADS-B in the African region,” said Don Thoma, chief executive officer, Aireon.

ATNS signs their data services agreement on the heels of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) adopting a resolution for primary spectrum allocation of the 1090 MHz frequency band for use by satellite-based ADS-B. ATNS also joins additional Aireon^SM launch customers, NAV CANADA, Italy’s ENAV, Ireland’s IAA, Denmark’s NAVIAIR, UK NATS and Curacao’s DC-ANSP.