Overview of Automatic Dependent

Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out

International Civil Aviation Organization

 Module Objectives

• Definition of ADS-B
• Overview of ADS-B OUT
• ADS-B Messages
• Aircraft Systems
• ADS-B Performance and Compliance
 Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast
(ADS-B)
• Automatic
 Periodically transmits information with no pilot
or operator involvement required
• Dependent
 Position and velocity vectors are derived from
the Global Positioning System (GPS) or other
suitable Navigation System (i.e., FMS)
• Surveillance -
 A method of determining 3 dimensional
position and identification of aircraft, vehicles,
or other assets
• Broadcast
 Transmitted information available to anyone
with the appropriate receiving equipment

• Satellite-based Cooperative Surveillance Technology

• Allows pilots and controllers to have a common picture of airspace
• Allows for common situational awareness to all equipped users of the airspace
FAA Surveillance Functional Architecture
 ADS-B “OUT”
GPS position

GPS position

GNSS Satellite
constellation
ADS-B transmissions

ADS-B (multi-sensor) ATC

Station Surveillance Data Processing Center
 ADS-B “IN” Overview
ADS-B “out”  ADS-B “in”
Requires in the aircraft:
 ADS-B receiver
 ADS-B data processing
 Cockpit Display

GPS position GPS position

GNSS Satellite constellation

ADS-B transmissions ADS-B data from certified

1090ES transponder

ADS-B (multi-sensor) ATC

Station Surveillance Data Processing Center

ATCO remains responsible for

separation
 ADS-B Components
ADS-B OUT - airborne ADS-B OUT - receiver
• Mode S Transponder • Antenna + Receiver
• Extended Squitter enabled • Adapted Surveillance
Processor
FAA ADS-B Receiver Systems
 ADS-B Technologies
• 1090 MHz Extended Squitter (1090ES)
– Implemented widely on commercial traffic
– Initial carriage facilitated by European Mode S mandate and
the FAA ADS-B OUT Final Rule publications
– 1090 MHz Extended Squitter is the preferred International link
• UAT
– UAT = Universal Access Transceiver at 978 MHz
– Used in USA (mainly for General Aviation aircraft)
– Regional implementations
• VDL Mode 4
– VDL = VHF Digital Link, Mode 4
– Regional implementation

* It is important to note that 1090 MHz is the internationally approved

frequency
 ADS-B Out Messages
• The ADS-B Out equipment is designed to transmit two different message
sets:
– “Short Squitter” (also known as the Mode S Acquisition Squitter)
– Extended Squitter

• Acquisition squitters include minimal information and allow systems on

other aircraft (e.g., ACAS) to acquire a target without the need to
interrogate.

• Extended squitters provide additional information based on the Minimum

Operational Performance Standards (MOPS) that the avionics system is
designed to:
– DO-260 (Version 0)
– DO-260A (Version 1)
– DO-260B (Version 2)
– DO-260C (Version 3), approved December 2020
 Acquisition Squitter
• The Mode S transponder outputs an unsolicited transmission once per
second to enable ACAS to acquire Mode S equipped aircraft
– carries only the ICAO 24 bit a/c address, which is a unique aircraft
identifier used in Mode S

MODE S SHORT SQUITTER (56 BITS)

8 bit 24 bit 24 bit

CONTROL A/C ADDRESS PARITY

TRANSMITTED ONCE PER SECOND

 ACAS X Overview

• ACAS X is a family of next generation aircraft collision

avoidance systems.
– Backward / forward compatible
– ACAS Xa and Xo MOPS have been published (RTCA DO-385 MOPS)

• Provides the same general role as TCAS II:

– Surveillance of nearby aircraft
– Generation of Traffic Advisory/Resolution Advisory
– Coordination with other aircraft collision avoidance systems
• Supports New Capabilities:
– Leverages Additional Surveillance Sources (e.g., ADS-B)
– Intended for multiple types of host aircraft (commercial, general
aviation, rotorcraft, UAS)
 Use of 1090ES for Surveillance

* Requires hardware that can receive and decode 1090ES DF17 messages
 1090ES Message Format
1090ES includes a 56 bit data field
used to carry ADS-B information
GNSS GNSS GNSS

ADS-B information is
derived from the onboard
EXTENDED (112 BIT) SQUITTER avionics navigation
8 bit 24 bit 56 bit 24 bit systems
CONTROL A/C ADDRESS ADS MESSAGE PARITY
TO ATC
FACILITY
EXTENDED SQUITTER
GROUND STATION
 BDS Registers
• BDS Registers are specified in ICAO Doc 9871, Edition 2,
and the Mode S SARPs
– BDS registers are also referred to as GICB registers
because they can be downlinked via “Ground Initiated
Comm B transactions”
• Each register contains the data payload of a particular
Mode S reply or extended squitter
• Registers not updated within a fixed period are cleared by
the transponder
• Registers are identified by a two digit hex number
– for example BDS 05h or BDS 0,5 is the position squitter
• Certain BDS registers refer specifically to 1090ES
 BDS Registers in ED-102A/DO-260B
Table 2-79: 1090 MHz Extended Squitter ADS-B Message Broadcast Rates
Broadcast Rate
Transponder Event-Driven On-the-Ground, On-the-Ground
1090ES ADS-B Message Airborne
Register Message Priority not moving and moving
2 / 1 second
BDS 0,5 N/A Airborne Position N/A N/A
(0.4 – 0.6 sec)
LOW RATE HIGH RATE
BDS 0,6 N/A Surface Position 1 / 5 seconds 2 / 1 second N/A
(4.8 – 5.2 sec) (0.4 – 0.6 sec)
LOW RATE HIGH RATE HIGH RATE
BDS 0,8 N/A Aircraft Identification and Category 1 / 10 seconds 1 / 5 seconds 1 / 5 seconds
(9.8 – 10.2 sec) (4.8 – 5.2 sec) (4.8 – 5.2 sec)
2 / 1 second
BDS 0,9 N/A Airborne Velocity N/A N/A
(0.4 – 0.6 sec)
TCAS RA or Mode A Code Change
0.7 – 0.9 seconds
Aircraft Status
TCAS RA = 1 No TCAS RA, No Mode A Change
BDS 6,1 (Emergency/Priority Status, Subtype=1)
Emergency = 2 4.8 – 5.2 seconds
(TCAS RA Broadcast, Subtype=2)
No TCAS RA, No Mode A Change, No Emergency, Mode A Code set to 10008
No Transmission
BDS 6,2 N/A Target State and Status (TSS) N/A N/A 1.2 – 1.3 seconds
TSS being broadcast or not
No change NICSUPP/NAC/SIL No change
2.4 – 2.6 seconds TCAS/NAC/SIL/NICSUPP
2.4 – 2.6 seconds
TSS being broadcast
Change in
BDS 6,5 N/A Aircraft Operational Status 4.8 – 5.2 seconds
TCAS/NAC/SIL/NICSUPP
Change in NICSUPP/NAC/SIL 2.4 – 2.6 seconds
0.7 – 0.9 seconds TSS not broadcast 2
Change in
TCAS/NAC/SIL/NICSUPP
0.7 – 0.9 seconds
N/A = Not Applicable
 BDS Registers in ED-102B/DO-260C
Table 2-79: 1090 MHz Extended Squitter ADS-B Message Broadcast Rates

N/A = Not Applicable

 BDS Registers in ED-102B/DO-260C
Table 2-79: 1090 MHz Extended Squitter ADS-B Message Broadcast Rates
N/A = Not Applicable
 Aircraft Systems
• In order to populate each of the messages, the ADS-B device relies on
other aircraft systems

• The following is an example of some of the avionics systems providing

information to the ADS-B avionics
GNSS Satellite
 Aircraft Equipage
• Aircraft equipage is a key element that the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) and Air Navigation Service Providers
(ANSPs) must consider

• The type of ADS-B implementation may drive additional

considerations on the type of equipage required in order
to ensure proper aircraft detection

• For example:
– ground system implementations may be satisfied with a
bottom only antenna
– Space Based implementation would require aircraft to have
an antenna visible to the satellites
 Quality Indicators
• Quality Indicators are used by the ATC Processing
System to determine
– whether ADS-B Surveillance reports (and therefore the
derived target position) can be used to support the various
functions in the provision of Air Traffic Services,
and in particular,
– whether the defined ATC Surveillance Separation standard
can be supported
• These indicators are either calculated by the ADS-B
device (e.g., NIC/NUCp) or configured at installation (e.g.,
SIL, SDA, Length/Width Code)
 Navigation Integrity Category (NIC)

• The Navigation Integrity Category (NIC) is calculated solely based on the

containment radius
• This value in combination with the NIC Supplement A & B determines the
Type Code to be transmitted in the Airborne Position Message
NUCp to NIC Conversion

Airborne Position
ADS-B Position Message

Surface Position
 Monitoring of Regulatory Compliance
• FAA* uses a tool called the ADS-B Performance Monitor
(APM) to detect:
• Non-Equipped operations in ADS-B Out required
airspace
– Including improperly equipped aircraft (e.g., Version 0 or
Version 1)
• Improper ADS-B Operation
– Equipment must be on at all times
• Subject to revised 91.225 (f)
– Proper procedures for pilot entered data (e.g., Flight ID)
• Call Sign Mis-Match (CSMM)

• Non-performing equipment (NPE)

– Airworthiness issues, monitored by FAA Flight Standards
*Inspectors from aircraft Maintenance and Flight Technologies and Procedures Divisions in the Office of Safety Standards
 Monitoring of Regulatory Compliance
• In order to identify NPE’s, the APM leverages the
ADS-B Out information to identify aircraft operating
in U.S. airspace that are not meeting the
performance standards specified in 14 CFR 91.227.
– Checks integrity and accuracy of position information
• Compliant NIC, NACp, NACv, SIL, SDA

– Checks for required message elements

• Lat/Long, Velocity, Baro & Geo Altitude, Mode 3/A, Flight ID, proper
ICAO 24-bit address, Emitter Category, Length/Width code, etc.
– Performs validity checks (Kinematics) on position, velocity,
altitude
ADS-B Performance Monitor
ADS-B Performance Monitor
 Monitoring of Regulatory Compliance
• When the FAA learns of a suspected violation, via the APM or
any other means, the following is initiated:
– Relevant information is sent to an investigating office (e.g., Flight
Standards District Office (FSDO), Certificate Management Office
(CMO), or International Field Office (IFO))
• If detected by APM, information will be sent from the Aircraft Maintenance
Division or Flight Procedures and Technologies Division
– Responsible FAA office conducts investigation following
procedures established in FAA Orders 8900.1 and 2150.3C

• After the investigation occurs, the responsible FAA office

takes appropriate actions to address the apparent violations
– Compliance, administrative, or legal enforcement actions, in
accordance with established policy
FAA Surveillance Functional Architecture