Bigfork, MT April 17 2024 – Today, uAvionix announces its FlightLine ADS-B surveillance and situational awareness system has been selected by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a qualified product for Air Traffic Control (ATC) use for reducing the risk of runway incursions at U.S. airports. FlightLine is a cost-effective solution that can be used in an Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) environment to provide needed surface situational awareness to facilities without existing surface surveillance systems (currently only 44 airports). FlightLine tower deployment will be conducted under procurement from the FAA but can also be procured directly by airports or Federal Contract Towers. The first FlightLine deployments by uAvionix were procured by the FAA for Indianapolis International Airport (KIND) and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS) towers. The systems will be fully operational by June 30, 2024.

uAvionix and its FlightLine system were qualified through the FAA’s Surface Awareness Initiative (SAI) program. According to the SAI Strategic Plan:

“In 2021, an Operational Needs Assessment (ONA) was conducted that identified the need for increased surface situational awareness at airports which currently are not equipped with surface surveillance equipment to reduce runway incursions. The FAA has identified over 230 airports that are potential candidates for an SAI solution. The ONA resulted in the identification of the first 45 candidate airports.

SAI will deliver innovative, cost-effective technological solutions to airports without existing surface surveillance capabilities to expand Air Traffic Control’s (ATC) surface situational awareness. SAI solutions will leverage Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) as a primary source of aircraft position both on the surface and in airport arrival and departure corridors. These ‘targets’ will be displayed overtop an airport surface map that will at a minimum depict runways, taxiways, hold ramps, and other movement areas.” 

The uAvionix FlightLine solution for the SAI program is adapted from its FlightLine Surveillance Data Service Provider (SDSP) platform, a private, validated, dual-frequency ADS-B network. The validated ADS-B network provides the ability to defend against ADS-B spoofing using multilateration as confirmation that the transmission source matches the data within the ADS-B message. Unlike crowd-sourced ADS-B networks, FlightLine is architected specifically to pass a safety case analysis, in part through active monitoring of the individual sensors and service volumes.

“This is a clear example of how industry’s innovation to bring new entrants into the airspace has resulted in near-term opportunities to enhance safety for traditional aviation,“ said Jon Damush, uAvionix CEO. “Our team consists of industry experts from ATC and aircraft surveillance systems, so when the FAA put out the call for rapidly deployable and scalable solutions – we knew we had a solution that could help.”

Data from the FlightLine system can be integrated into existing airport management tools to maximize the benefit to airport operators. As a part of its scope for the SAI program, uAvionix along with its small business partner Capital Sciences, LLC will deploy and manage the turnkey service, provide training, sustainment, and upgrade services for each airport. For more information on FlightLine or to request a quote for a local airport or contract tower deployment, please contact airports@uavionix.com.

For more information on the FAA’s Surface Awareness Initiative, see the FAA’s Press Release “FAA to Install New Runway Safety Technology” at https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-install-new-runway-safety-technology.

About uAvionix 
uAvionix was founded with the mission of providing solutions that support the safe and efficient integration of Crewed and Uncrewed Aircraft into National Airspace Systems (NAS). Offering TSO certified and uncertified avionics for General Aviation (GA), Airports and the UAS markets. uAvionix is a global leader in the development and production of the lowest size, weight and power (SWaP) avionics for command, navigation, and surveillance. To learn more about uAvionix manned and unmanned products, please visit: www.uAvionix.com 

uAvionix Media Contact: squawk@uavionix.com