Aireon is an American company based in McLean, VA. Founded in 2011, it manufactures, deploys, and operates a global aircraft tracking and surveillance system utilizing satellite-based receivers to monitor the existing ADS-B transmissions of aircraft, for global air traffic surveillance.
History
Aireon was launched in 2011 as a joint venture between satellite communications company Iridium Communications Inc, Nav Canada, NATS, ENAV, Naviair and the Irish Aviation Authority to work on a surveillance system to track aircraft around the globe, beyond the range of ground-based radar and ADS-B receivers, in real time. Nav Canada invested $150 million to acquire a 51% stake in the project. In September 2016, Aireon launched a partnership with FlightAware to provide space-based ADS-B to airlines and other aircraft operators with Qatar Airways as the launch customer. In January 2017, Aireon launched and deployed its first ADS-B payloads on Iridium Next satellites. Seven launches followed the first launch. The eighth and final launch in January 2019 completed the satellite 'constellation' and put the total in-orbit Aireon payloads at 75. National ANSPs including Nav Canada, UK NATS, ENAV, IAA, AAI, Naviair, Isavia, CAAS of Singapore, ATNS of South Africa, DC-ANSP, ASECNA, Seychelles, COCESNA Honduras and PNG of Papua New Guinea have signed a Data Services Agreement with Aireon.
Technology
-equipped aircraft transmit short data packets containing identification, position and other information. The system was intended to be used with ground-based receivers. Through its receivers in space, Aireon monitors these transmissions, providing coverage where there is no ground infrastructure, relaying signals from all ADS-B equipped aircraft to controllers. Iridium Communications hosts the Aireon payloads on its constellation of Iridium NEXT low-orbiting communication satellites. Aireon's receiver data is also processed by FlightAware which has partnered with Aireon to provide data to airlines, other aircraft operators, and the public.
