Satellite-based aircraft tracking on the way for NZ

A new satellite-supported system designed to replace radar as New Zealand’s main aircraft tracking technology is a step closer. Airways New Zealand has secured a supplier of ground infrastructure for its Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS–B) network. “The network will provide a more detailed picture of our airspace than is currently possible with radar. It will enhance the way aircraft are monitored in domestic airspace and will play a crucial role in supporting the growth of air travel in New Zealand,” Airways’ Chief Operating Officer Pauline Lamb says. ADS-B uses satellite GPS systems, aircraft transmitters and a network of ground station receivers to follow aircraft with a more precise level of accuracy. With a network of ground receivers installed even in remote locations, the system will detect aircraft in places where there is limited radar coverage, like behind mountain ranges and at low altitudes in regions such as the Hawkes Bay, Gisborne and much of the South Island’s west coast.