Rannoch Corporation proposes to develop a low-cost (i.e., under $300K) 1090 MHz Multilateration/Line of Position (LOP)/Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) surface surveillance system, which uses the following cost-saving technology innovations: a two-receiver identification/position determination algorithm, GPS synchronization, and passive Mode A/C multilateration. The proposed system addresses Topic 01 Aviation Safety & Capacity, Subtopic 01.02 Advanced Concepts in Air Traffic Management, by providing low-cost surveillance technology which can be used to locate and identify traffic operating on the airport surface. This surveillance enhances safety by enabling ATC to have a situational display of traffic movement, as well as automatic runway incursion detection alerting. The system can be used as an enhancement to primary surface radar (i.e., Airport Surface Detection Equipment [ASDE]-3) by providing identification of aircraft targets and providing surveillance position aiding in regions where the radar does not provide reliable coverage. Another application of the system is standalone aircraft surveillance; a low-cost standalone system is needed at airports that have not qualified for any currently fielded surveillance system due to cost-benefits ratio analyses.
Potential Commercial Applications:The multilateration/LOP/ADS-B surface surveillance system has the following commercial applications: (1) Airport surface surveillance to support runway incursion detection; (2) Airport surface surveillance to support traffic automation for FAA systems such as Surface Movement Advisor; (3) Airport surface surveillance to support NASA's Dynamic Runway Occupancy Monitoring system; (4) Terminal area surveillance to support Precision Runway Monitoring; and (5) Terminal area surveillance to provide surveillance of ADS-B-equipped aircraft.
