Sagetech Corporation delivered signal-processing receiver technology to Harris Corporation, GCS for satellite-based NextGen air traffic control. This technology will enable for the first time global tracking of aircraft flying over oceans and other remote areas.

Sagetech, an avionics company, provided Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver technology to Harris Corporation, a communications company developing space-qualified ADS-B receivers for AireonSM. Aireon is establishing a satellite-based air traffic management system that will be hosted on the Iridium NEXT satellite constellation.

Sagetech's software was developed to the A3 standard, the highest capability level cited in the DO-260B performance standard for ADS-B equipment. Additionally, its development followed software process standard DO-178B (Level C) to achieve superior design assurance.

Both the standard and process are products of RTCA, Inc., a Federal Advisory Committee that develops consensus-based recommendations dealing with the art and science of aviation. Fulfilling RTCA objectives - and proving it through a rigorous battery of tests - assures that the Sagetech software complies with recognized guidelines for the stringent design and performance of airborne electronic systems.

"We are delighted to have achieved not only challenging functional requirements, but also a highly efficient and robust design for the rigors of low earth orbit," said Sagetech President Kelvin Scribner.

"Sagetech's expertise in ADS-B technology is a perfect fit with Aireon's requirements, and being among the first to achieve A3 performance underscores our commitment to aviation safety. We at Sagetech are honored to contribute to making the skies safer for people all over the world."

Aireon will provide global space-based ADS-B coverage through Iridium NEXT, a low-Earth orbiting (LEO) system of inter-linked satellites that will begin launching in 2015. Currently, air traffic control is a land-based system that relies on radar ground stations to send and receive signals.

Aireon's transformational space-based capabilities ensure complete global coverage of aircraft tracking - even over oceans and in remote regions, improving safety and efficiency.

Sagetech's innovative ADS-B technology is making its way to the General Aviation market as well, Scribner notes. Also in March, the company released Clarity, a lightweight, affordably priced ADS-B receiver that is easy to use with Electronic Flight Bag software operating on an iPad or other tablet computer.