When ADS-B technology was deployed in remote parts of Alaska as part of the Capstone project, accidents declined by about 40 percent. Now an Alaskan entrepreneur is helping developing aviation systems in China and Africa to leapfrog over the expensive step of installing conventional radar and use ADS-B instead. “This is the air traffic management system of the future. It’s the silver bullet,” Robert “Skip” Nelson, CEO of ADS-B Technologies, told the Alaska Journal of Commerce. “It’s cheap and it’s easy to install.” It costs about $140,000 to install the ground-based transceivers and about $15,000 to equip each aircraft, compared to $60 million for a radar installation and the manpower to run it, according to the Journal. Nelson said China has installed seven ground units and plans to equip 210 aircraft that will be used at a Chinese university where 2,500 students are studying to be pilots. He is also working on ADS-B projects in Ethiopia and South America. China has liberalized its flight rules in response to the deployment of the new technology, according to the Journal.
China, Africa Benefit From ADS-B
Key Takeaways:
- ADS-B technology, which reduced accidents by 40% in Alaska, is now helping developing countries like China and those in Africa adopt modern air traffic management systems by leapfrogging expensive conventional radar.
- The system is significantly more cost-effective and easier to install, with ground units costing around $140,000 and aircraft equipping at $15,000 each, compared to $60 million for a radar installation.
- Alaskan entrepreneur Robert "Skip" Nelson is leading global ADS-B projects, with China implementing seven ground units and equipping 210 training aircraft, and additional projects underway in Ethiopia and South America.
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