Singapore to use space surveillance for air traffic control

Air traffic monitoring is set to get a boost with a new system over Singapore's air space.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and Aireon on Thursday signed a 12-year deal for the former to use the latter's space-based Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system for the country's Flight Information Region (FIR), Channel News Asia reported.

The deal, which was signed at the Singapore Airshow, means Singapore will be the first air navigation service provider in the Asia Pacific to adopt the space-based ADS-B system.

The service will be operational in 2018.

CAAS will spend the next two years setting up the necessary infrastructure to integrate the service with its air traffic control systems.

"When implemented, spaced-based ADS-B will provide continuous surveillance of ADS-B equipped aircraft in the Singapore FIR. It will supplement existing surveillance sensors and improve air traffic controllers' situational awareness," officials said.