Andrew K. Barrows

Using Traffic Information Services Broadcast (TIS-B) signals for aviation navigation

Airspaces around the world are introducing capabilities and infrastructure to handle higher traffic densities. Highly capable satellite based navigation is being adopted to help aircraft operate more efficiently in the future. Furthermore, Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B), where aircraft and other users broadcast their precise position, velocity and intent, is being introduced to help manage these airspaces. This allows air traffic and other aircraft to have excellent awareness of the airspace users. Adoption of new systems and technologies will only intensify as future airspaces will have to handle more varied traffic such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). GNSS is critical to both future air navigation and ADS-B. Many of improvements in future airspace are primarily achieved with GNSS. This makes a robust, accurate terrestrial alternate essential should GNSS be unavailable. This paper examines using the Traffic Information Services Broadcast (TIS-B) service that is part of ADS-B implementation to provide terrestrial navigation. TIS-B would broadcast an aircraft position report generated using radar measurements. Conceptually, an aircraft may be able to use the reception of its own TIS-B report to provide knowledge of its position. This paper provides an overview of the concept and of the potential capabilities of the system.