Aireon LLC and the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) in Myanmar (Burma) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). The two parties will collaborate to work to employ Aireon’s space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) service. Myanmar's DCA will collaborate with Aireon to develop a concept of operations and benefits analysis.
Currently the responsibilities of DCA is to provide:
- air traffic control
- air navigation
- aeronautical information
- aeronautical telecommunication for international and domestic aircraft inside the Yangon Flight Information Region (FIR).
The DCA controls an increasingly busy air traffic thoroughfare between Asia, Europe and the Middle East, and some of its territory is oceanic in which terrestrial-based systems are limited.
Also noteworthy, according to Boeing’s Long Term Market Outlook, Asia is expected to be the largest travel market in the world, growing at 6.1 percent annually and adding over 100 million new passengers each year, making DCA an essential aviation authority within the region.
Soe Paing, Director, Air Navigation Safety, DCA Myanmar stated, “We look forward to working with Aireon on the concept of operations. We have many challenges installing ground-based surveillance solutions, due to the remote and diverse terrain in our region. We are growing at almost 10 percent annually and need to ensure that airspace safety is one of our top priorities. The AireonSM service will offer us increased safety and visibility that exceeds the capabilities of ground-based infrastructure.”
Cyriel Kronenburg, vice president, aviation services, Aireon added, “We recognize the challenges that Myanmar faces. The Aireon service will allow DCA to utilize next-generation air traffic surveillance, in real-time, without the need for large investments in ground-based infrastructure. We applaud them for focusing on improving safety to meet future air traffic demand both within Myanmar and overflying traffic. Additionally, as Iridium gets ready to launch its first group of ten satellites this summer with Aireon payloads on board, we are eager to work with DCA to build a successful use case for the deployment of space-based ADS-B.”
In February, Aireon signed a data service agreement with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), and it has a long-standing MOA with the Airports Authority of India (AAI). Working with these neighboring regions, the benefits of Aireon’s space-based ADS-B service will expand greatly and provide more direct routes and real-time visibility while also reducing emissions.