Philippines, Singapore team up for aircraft surveillance technology in Palawan

THE Philippines and Singapore will be unveiling new surveillance technology in Palawan to monitor flights and improve air traffic management.

In a statement released on Friday by the Department of Transportation, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will inaugurate the Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) on Saturday in Bataraza, Palawan.

The ADS-B collaboration, which tracks aircraft through satellite navigation, will also give CAAS access to ADS-B data among other services. Likewise, the satellite can also provide the right altitude for aircraft to reduce their carbon footprint.

Data received through the satellite, including velocity, altitude, and its identity, are gathered every two seconds and will then be sent to CAAP’s air traffic control center.

“Aside from enhancing the safety and efficiency of air traffic services, ADS-B also improves the ability to perform life-saving search and rescue missions. It can provide more accurate information about last reported positions, minimizing the search period, in such operations,” the statement read. — Anna G. A. Mogato