Global air traffic surveillance is now a reality. Aireon’s space-based ADS-B system is up and running and it has launched a trial of its service over the North Atlantic. “For the first time in history, we can surveil all ADS-B-equipped aircraft anywhere on Earth,” said Don Thoma, Aireon CEO, at an April 2 press briefing at Washington’s International Trade Center. Aireon’s solution relies on transponders embedded on each of the satellites in Iridium’s NEXT constellation, comprising 66 online with 6 in-orbit spares and 9 grounded spares. Iridium finished building its constellation in January and…

A joint venture between Canada’s air traffic control operator NavCanada and satellite company Iridium went live Tuesday with the first air traffic surveillance system capable of providing real-time global coverage. The Aireon system is now in trial use over the North Atlantic, where it is being used by NavCanada and U.K. air traffic control operator NATS. NATS and the air traffic control organizations in Italy, Ireland and Denmark are also investors in Aireon. At a press conference Tuesday, Aireon CEO Don Thoma said that his company’s surveillance system will immediately…

Aireon, the first ever real-time, global air traffic surveillance system, is now fully operational and in trial use over the North Atlantic. This historic milestone ushers in a new era of safety and efficiency that will revolutionise the way people fly as, for the first time, air traffic controllers will have real-time data on the position of aircraft anywhere in the world – including previously unsurveilled airspace. Aireon’s space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) system provides real-time air traffic surveillance and tracking to 100 per cent of ADS-B equipped aircraft…

Eight years of work culminated yesterday with the announcement that Aireon’s new space-based air traffic surveillance system became operational and immediately entered trials over the North Atlantic. Aireon’s ADS-B receivers are installed onboard all 66 of the newly launched Iridium satellite constellation now in low-earth orbit providing real-time air traffic surveillance and tracking to 100 percent of ADS-B equipped aircraft on the planet. Regulations mandating ADS-B equipage on aircraft have already been implemented throughout the world and take effect in the United States in January 2020 and in Europe in…