ADS-B: Products for Aviation

Beacon
Estimated price: $1,500

The most basic of all SCAN systems, the Beacon, will allow an aircraft to be a visible target to other higher level SCAN equipped craft, but will not provide an indication of the positions of other aircraft to the Beacon user. This model is a "transmit only" version which can be built into a small hand-held, stand-alone unit. Its use is contemplated for non-electrical aircraft, balloons, gliders, ultra-light aircraft, for ground-based service vehicles and for conducting emergency and search-and-rescue operations. The Beacon will simply determine its own location in 3-D space and then transmit its identification and information about its position to others.

Basic
Estimated price: $3,500

The SCAN Basic model will determine its own position, transmit its position, monitor positions of other craft on a video display and provide appropriate proximity and collision alarms. The display will consist of a simple monochrome video screen which plots a simple moving map and graphic symbols of all targets being tracked. Alarms or other warnings are triggered for an immediate pilot response. These alerts and warnings are based upon a time vector measured in incremental lengths of one minute, or time to collision. Additional software features include zoom in/out, aircraft identification and type, communication status and emergency location.

Traveler
Estimated price: $6,000

The Traveler will perform all functions specified in the Basic model listed above except the computer section which will use a higher speed, more efficient processor. The display will be upgraded to color, and the software will be upgraded to include a moving map database listing all airports, runways, VORs, NDBs, restricted areas, communication frequency lists, etc. The Traveler will be capable of receiving locally transmitted Nav-Aid information including weather, advisories and automatic flight plan filing. Airport sites may be equipped with an identical system coupled to Nav-Aid weather stations using a different set of instructional software to allow pilots to monitor local winds, barometric pressure, temperature, dew-point, local DGPS data, etc.

World View
Estimated price: $16,000

This SCAN model duplicates the capability of the Traveler model with the addition of a CD ROM-based data storage unit and software to access the database and control the display. In addition to the features listed above, the software will be able to show airport runways, taxiways, towers, obstructions, antennas, mountains, terrain, smokestacks, and all surface roads and waterways. This model will also include a method for portraying images in a forward-looking, 3-D, vanishing-point perspective view and accomodate head-up displays. Landing graphics and DGPS corrections will be available for instrument approaches.

Satellite
Estimated price: $15,000 to $25,000

This SCAN product is similar to the Traveler, except that it is a ground-based version of SCAN designed for non-controlled airports. Since an airport's ground position is already known, the Satellite does not transmit position information. Rather, it is able to augment local GPS signals to predictable error correction levels of ±10 meters to ±1 meter. The purpose of this model is to perform valuable ground functions such as up-linking (transmitting) wind direction, wind speed, barometric pressure, temperature, dewpoint, and limited DGPS to pilots approaching uncontrolled airports. The computer hardware is a standard desktop model with a substantial color monitor and keyboard capable of responding to pilot requests for local airport advisories. For example, pilots could file requests for fuel or services from FBOs using the Satellite. FBO operators may receive and track aircraft requests for local advisory purposes, but only while simultaneously protecting the SCAN normal tracking/advisory mode.

Weather Master
Estimated price: $26,000

For the professional pilot, this SCAN model will perform all functions of the World View plus handle a complete list of weather information services. These services include uplinked data representing weather fronts, clouds, rain, snow, micro-bursts, icing conditions, temperature zones, and wind aloft speeds and directions. It will be capable of downloading full weather maps and charts, filing and updating flight plans while enroute and perform a list of various other weather and advisory functions. The World View will also accommodate a full range of digital and voice communication optins.

Tower King
Estimated price: $50,000 to $100,000 Depending on Hardware/Software Architecture
Data Sensors needed to feed uplink data into the system are an added cost.

Designed to fit into a traffic control center tower, the Tower King model is the most comprehensive of all SCAN units. While tracking and monitoring all air and ground-based targets, the Tower King would be capable of broadcasting local DGPS error corrections, wide or local area weather forecasts, weather maps, terrain maps and approach plates. Depending upon the configuration, information may or may not include dynamic weather targets such as micro-bursts and cold fronts, icing conditions, NOTAMS, PIREPS, ATIS, obstructions and a list of available communication frequencies. Controllers have two-way data or voice capability to answer approach-departure requests with appropriate advisories. Properly configured, the Tower King could compare radar targets with SCAN targets for surveillance redundancy. In this case however, SCAN targets created from radar data must include the notification of a relative radar precision error.

Software for the Tower King includes panning as well as zooming and alarms for runway-in-use, collision potential and proximity warning. Unlike TCAS, traffic controllers using SCAN are advised with identical information as that being portrayed inside the cockpit.

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