Aireon LLC has announced that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) has signed a contract to implement Aireon’s space-based air traffic surveillance service in Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata’s oceanic airspaces.
These regions are located in the Arabian sea, Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean and represent more than six million square kilometers. The goal is to deploy space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) by the end of 2019.
This landmark agreement will immediately provide AAI coverage of all ADS-B OUT 1090 MHz equipped oceanic air traffic, ensuring one of the densest oceanic airspaces in the world has access to the best tools to enhance safety and efficiency and accommodate unprecedented double-digit growth, year over year. Beyond those benefits, real-time air traffic surveillance over the busy routes between South East Asia, India, the Middle East and Europe and beyond will significantly increase efficiency and improve transitions between oceanic and domestic airspace.
The AAI contract signing comes three months after the Aireon service went live on April 2nd, 2019, and just four years after an initial agreement was reached to explore applicable regulations, standards and procedures for ADS-B deployment throughout Indian airspace. With full implementation set for year’s end, AAI will ensure India meets its growing capacity demand with the controller tools needed to provide the highest safety standards to its flying public. India will join 26 other countries who are actively deploying Aireon’s space-based ADS-B for air traffic surveillance.
India has become the third largest aviation market in the world with a rate of sustained double-digit growth for the last 50 months. Forecasts suggest that the growth will continue, and Indian airspace is going to experience an imminent need for additional capacity.
Dr. Guruprasad Mohapatra, Chairman, AAI, said the decision to implement Aireon’s technology is a major step in improving safety and enhancing capacity for the flying public and also ensures that, as one of the globe’s fastest growing markets, planning continues for continued growth. AAI will be the first Air Navigation Service Provider in the region to implement a technological initiative, on this scale, and offer enhanced air traffic surveillance services to its users.
Aireon’s CEO, Don Thoma, noted that AAI’s leadership and approach to technology and safety is ensuring that one of the world’s busiest airspaces continues to be one of the safest. The company is excited that AAI will be the first in the region to deploy this capability and the firm look sforward to this partnership to improve safety and efficiency in Indian airspace.
