News
Singapore upgrades aircraft tracking
March 1st 2016
Singapore’s regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has become the first air navigation service provider in the Asia-Pacific to adopt space-based ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast) that will allow equipped aircraft to be tracked wherever they are flying in the country’s airspace. Read More »
The CAAS signed a 12-year subscription agreement with Aireon during the Singapore Air Show last month that will provide space-based (ADS-B) data for the Singapore Flight Information Region (FIR).
In the next two years, CAAS will set up the necessary infrastructure to integrate the service with its Air Traffic Control systems. The system will supplement existing surveillance sensors and improve air traffic controllers’ situational awareness.
“Demand for air travel is growing rapidly in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Kevin Shum, the director general of CAAS. “CAAS is committed to continuously investing in cutting edge and cost effective air traffic management capabilities to manage this growth. The use of space-based ADS-B will keep Singapore at the forefront of emerging air traffic management technologies. By doing so, we can safely improve the efficiency and capacity of air navigation services for the areas under our responsibility.”
Chief executive at Aireon, Don Thoma, said Aireon had signed a Memorandum of Agreement with CAAS a little over a year ago to explore the feasibility and impact of implementing space-based ADS-B in the Singapore FIR.
“The CAAS and Aireon teams successfully worked together to evaluate the capabilities, assess the operational changes and measure the benefits that could be realized by spaced-based ADS-B. We are proud of our continued partnership and fully support CAAS in providing enhanced services to their customers and the flying public,” the company said.
Aireon is deploying a global, space-based air traffic surveillance system for ADS-B equipped aircraft across the globe. For the first time, it will provide real-time ADS-B surveillance to oceanic, polar and remote regions as well as augment existing ground-based systems that are limited to terrestrial airspace.
In partnership with leading Air Navigation Service Providers, NAV CANADA, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA), ENAV and Naviair, as well as Iridium Communications, Aireon will have its global, space-based air traffic surveillance system by operational by 2018.
