ICAO address is used as unique airframe identifier for so called Mode-S transponders - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aviation_transponder_interrogation_modes#ICAO_24-bit_address.
It is likely at least in Europe that beyond line of sight UAV operations in future will require equipping UAVs with such transponder.
So we decided to start working on ADS-B OUT transponders integration with popular autopilots and adding these features to our ground control software UgCS (www.ugcs.com).
As first carrier we have selected 3DR Quad with Pixhawk.
Why Pixhawk? - This line of autopilots have matured and we expect lot of commercial applications will be using it. We will be ready for that with our solution for Pixhawk- ADS-B transponder integration.
We selected 3D Robotics Quad because we have lot of them and they are symbolic for getting quads and UAV technology to the masses. :-)
We will use Sagetech XPS-TR transponder because of its small size and weight, which allows equipping even lightest UAVs with it.
4 months ago we approached Latvian Civil Aviation Agency with request to provide us ICAO 24-bit address for our quad, and now it has happened!
Latvian Civil Aviation Agency (FAA analogue for us) has issued ICAO address 502С08 for our little bird - 3DR Quad with "tail number" 6 (see picture).
In a month or two it should appear on flightradar24.com.
UgCS Team
Comments
According documentation Sagetech XPS-TR Mode S Transponder with ADS-B Out will "provides the user with surrounding traffic information with a nominal range of 120 nautical miles (NM)". But we didn't test actual range.
Flightradar24 can't be used for collision avoidance because of lack of Internet in cockpit of most aircrafts :-) and first of all because of unpredictable delays in such scheme.
One of most important thing in ADS-B technology that very cheap receiver can provide to pilots and air traffic controllers real-time information about surrounding traffic.
Jake, you make a good point, but I don't think that simply feeding FlightRadar24 is enough to warn other pilots of your presence. The whole point of having ADS-B out is so other planes will be aware of you.
> We will use Sagetech XPS-TR transponder
What will your range be when you're dumping 8-14W into the transponder?
Why not just do it from the ground? It would be pretty easy to implement ADSB in/out from the ground. Just use a SDR for the "in", and feed data to flightradar24.com for the "out".
None too soon - http://news.yahoo.com/ap-exclusive-drone-sightings-dramatically-082....
This sort of thing needs to be integrated into the drone industry, so some knuckle head trying to see how high he can go doesn't get sucked into a jet engine.
Whiny doomsaying aside, I'm all for being able to detect other planes and be detected.
Don't forget you can already track ADSB traffic in Mission Planner and I hope many of us are already playing with SDR dongles and sharing low level traffic to sites like FlightRadar24 This is a great guide http://www.rtl-sdr.com/adsb-aircraft-radar-with-rtl-sdr/ for $20 there is just too much fun, I decode NOAA POEs satellites, track ships listen to all sorts of data modes. All with free software, its nuts. If ADSB becomes part of the mix which I am sure it will then its well worth $20 for training.
That's incredible. Wish it was possible here in the US - although maybe it is, I remember hearing talk of it before. If so, as usual, the players aren't sharing.
I love the forward thought of this project!
There are things in the pipeline I believe but we will let Chris A speak to that
Yup thats the easy way for government to ID who and where is flying and whether it goes according approved route. Next step to get routes confirmed at CAA electronically and checked against all temporary airspace restrictions (NOTAMs, etc)
Would save significant amount of trees as well :)
Well said Gary! :)
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