NASA NextGen

NextGen is the transformation of how airplanes traverse the sky. It affects all of us: from the pilots that fly the planes, the passengers who enjoy the flights and the controllers who ensure the safety. The thousands of planes overhead right now are flying indirect routes over radar towers. For close to six decades we have used this World War II era technology to transit the skies. NextGen is an upgrade to satellite-based technology.

Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) is FAA's satellite-based successor to radar. ADS-B makes use of GPS technology to determine and share precise aircraft location information, and streams additional flight information to the cockpits of properly equipped aircraft.

Dynamic Systems Integration along with its partners Munro & Associates and Michigan SATS are developing specialized services for General Aviation pilots by leveraging the NextGen ADS-B Network that will reduce General Aviation Accidents. The system will use Commercial off the Shelf Technology (COTS) portable devices such as smart phones and multi-platform tablets. The platform will provide NEXRAD, METAR and TAF weather, 3D Traffic with Sense and Avoid capabilities and specialized emergency services. The system will also provide a SATCOM link for Automatic Flight Following and secondary communications.

The commercialization goal is to meet the FAA mandate that requires all aircraft to be equipped with ADS-B Out capability with a certified low cost high utility software and hardware package. There are approximately 180,000+ GA aircraft that will need to be equipped by 1 January 2020 in order to operate in the NextGen airspace.