Aireon LLC proposes to use satellites to relay Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADSB) data from suitably equipped aircraft to Air Traffic Service Units (ATSUs) and provide surveillance coverage in what the consortium calls ‘near real-time’ across 100% of the world’s airspace.

This provision of new surveillance data raises questions as to how the data will be used to provide separation and other ATS functions, as well as the usefulness of the data in improving safety and efficiency of flights in those portions of oceanic and remote continental airspace where there is currently no surveillance information available to controllers.

Also of importance is the extent to which the proposed system will meet existing or developing ICAO standards for communication, navigation and surveillance as ICAO moves from system based to performance based standards.