With the recent launch of more Iridium satelites with ADS-B (and their numbers are growing) and Flightaware also getting data from goverment sites, at what point will Flightaware not need feeder sites like us anymore?
The need for feeders may diminish, but they will still be needed in certain places. The hobby will continue regardless. It may even get better after 2020 when MLAT, and the need for nearby receivers, will be a thing of the past for the most part.
Who knows what will come next. I always remember when the error then introduced to the GPS signal was removed. It gave ‘birth’ to Geocaching. We already have the ADSB Receiver Project, a great development. Looking forward to new and fun things.
There are limits to space based ADSB. Ground based ADSB has different limits and excels in some areas over space based ADSB. The two system together are much better.
FlightAware will continue to support the ground based ADSB network. There is a real need to have both systems.
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That’s good to hear. I don’t know how much better I’ll be able to improve my station but it’s good to know that it will still be needed.
Thanks
The terrestrial ADS-B network continues to be important and will into the future. FlightAware is committed to maintaining and growing the terrestrial network. No changes are planned. The terrestrial-based network enables us to provide free flight tracking on flightaware.com and provides additional benefits such as MLAT and surface movement coverage that are not provided by space-based ADS-B.
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