Realities and challenges of nextgen air traffic management: the case of ADS-B

Air traffic is continuously increasing worldwide, with both manned and unmanned aircraft looking to coexist in the same airspace in the future. Next generation air traffic management systems are crucial in successfully handling this growth and improving the safety of billions of future passengers. The Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) system is a core part of this future. Unlike traditional radar systems, this technology empowers aircraft to automatically broadcast their locations and intents, providing enhanced situational awareness. This article discusses important issues with the current state of ADS-B as it is being rolled out. We report from our OpenSky sensor network in Central Europe, which is able to capture about 30 percent of the European commercial air traffic. We analyze the 1090 MHz communication channel to understand the current state and its behavior under the increasing traffic load. Furthermore, the article considers important security challenges faced by ADS-B. Our insights are intended to help identify open research issues, furthering new interest and developments in this field.