uAvionix has launched its upgraded dual-frequency ADS-B receiver, pingStation 2.
The ADS-B ground station provides for networkable low-altitude airspace and airport surface monitoring, as well as Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Ground Control Station (GCS) integration for Detect & Avoid (DAA) capability.
pingStation 2 integrates 978 and 1090 MHz ADS-B receivers, GPS, an antenna, and Power-Over-Ethernet (POE) interface into a weatherproof enclosure.
With a selection of non-proprietary data interfaces, pingStation 2 is designed to integrate into a multitude of end-user applications, including airport displays, UAS GCS, Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) Solutions, and Flight Information Displays (FID), according to company officials. pingStation 2 can be permanently mounted outdoors in harsh environmental conditions and is small enough to be used as a mobile asset for roaming operations, officials add.
pingStation 2 includes performance improvements, including 50% greater range and high-resolution timestamps, enabling third party multilateration (MLAT) using time-difference-of-arrival (TDOA) calculation. Set-up ease is also enhanced with tool-free installation, company officials said.
pingStation 2 In Use
pingStation and pingStation 2 are being used globally to enhance situational awareness in a variety of situations:
UAS Detect and Avoid
- pingStation is a core component of the Vantis UAS Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) network in North Dakota, where ADS-B reception is combined with Command and Control (C2) infrastructure.
- pingStation provides the foundational surveillance infrastructure for the New York UAS BVLOS Corridor between Syracuse and Rome, N.Y.
Airspace Situational Awareness
- Trials at three airports in the UK have led to draft policies for providing Flight Information Displays (FID) to Class G airports to improve situational awareness and reduce the risk of mid-air collisions.
- pingStation 2 is a component of the United Kingdom Research & Innovation (UKRI) funded project to demonstrate BVLOS UAS Operations in Non-Segregated Airspace, combining pingStation 2 with uAvionix TIS-B/FIS-B infrastructure to enable the capability for a local re-broadcast of traffic to provide a cooperative airspace, enhancing the safety and services at smaller airports and to remote and off-shore aviation operations.