McMurdo Launches Autonomous Tracker for Commercial Aircraft

Nevada Sunset. Photo: Brandon (Flickr)

Orolia, through its McMurdo brand, announced its Global Aeronautical Distress Safety System (GADSS) compliant Distress Tracking Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT-DT) at this week’s Paris Air Show. The Kannad GADSS ELT-DT will enable the autonomous tracking of commercial aircraft in distress through innovations such as trigger-in-flight capability, allowing the beacon to automatically transmit a distress signal with the aircraft’s accurate position.

The ELT will include return link service capability for aircraft operators to activate the ELT from the ground. Working alongside Medium Earth Orbiting Search and Rescue (MEOSAR) technology, it provides instantaneous signal detection and worldwide coverage, helping rescue teams quickly locate aircraft. After the Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappearance in 2014, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) launched a series of global tracking initiatives, including the requirement to autonomously track all commercial aircraft in distress beginning January 1, 2021.

As project lead for the European Commission’s Helios project for next-generation emergency locator beacons, Orolia is leveraging the expertise of consortium partners to build new search and rescue technologies.