Low Cost ADS-B Transceivers

On 3/17/2010 4:35 AM, Andy wrote:

The MITRE prototype is actually a very compact unit, approximately the
size of a cigarette pack. It has an interface so that it can be
connected to a wide variety of external display devices. While the
prototype is a portable device, many of us are advocating that there
should be a permanent installation option, so that it does not use up
precious panel space and so that you can have an external antenna option
to maximize performance.

MITRE demonstrated the unit at the AOPA Expo last year using an iPhone
as the graphical display device. The intent is to also interface it to
a variety of glide computers and aviation GPS moving map display
devices. This is not too difficult, technically, by emulating the same
interfaces that currently exist to support FLARM and TIS.

Please take the survey and add your comments. We need to demonstrate to
the FAA that there is widespread enthusiasm for this type of device, so
the certification process will be put on the fast track.

--
Mike Schumann

On Mar 16, 4:51 pm, Mike
wrote:
The FAA in coordination with the SSA is doing a major test of low cost
ADS-B transceivers this summer in the Washington DC area. As part of
this effort, MIT is doing a survey of pilots' perception of the value of
ADS-B technology in their environments.

Please take 10 minutes and provide your input:

http://agena.mit.edu/ADSBsurvey

We are finally making some serious progress within the FAA to get them
to take a hard look at commercializing the low cost ADS-B technology
that has been developed by MITRE. If this effort is successful, we
should see fully functional ADS-B equipment available in the US at FLARM
price points (~$1K). Please make your voices heard in support of this
effort.

--
Mike Schumann

Some very cool ideas for use of ADS-B in soaring.

I would like to see support for common hardware interfaces and public
APIs so that third-party developers could easily integrate ADS-B
output into existing software and/or make it easy to integrate the
display software into a few common platforms (Windows Mobile PDA/PNA,
iPhone, etc). No one wants to carry around another display unit and
switching between a flight computer app and a situational awareness
app is awkward given how frequently a pilot would need to refer to
both.

Hopefully the commercial unit would be more compact and/or allow the
antennas to be mounted remote from the unit. The prototype is pretty
bulky and appears to have the ADS-B antenna built in.

I'd buy one, especially if I didn't have to buy a transponder too.

Of course I may be retired from the sport by the time all that
infrastructure gets deployed.

9B