The US FAA has announced that following the success of its initial trials that it will deploy Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) technology across the country by 2013.
The nationwide rollout of ADS-B will result in all areas currently covered by radar also covered by ADS-B, and will see over 800 ground stations installed. Already more than 300 ground stations have already been commissioned. By 2020 the FAA will mandate the use of ADS-B avionics in all controlled airspace across the US.
The rollout comes after the FAA had been trialling ADS-B in Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico, Louisville and Philadelphia. Locally, Airservices Australia has rolled out a network of ADS-B ground stations giving virtual coverage to nearly all the Australian continent, and carriage and use of ADS-B avionics is expected to be mandated in coming years for all aircraft operating in controlled airspace.
