Autonomous Aviation Safety Development #12: Distress Tracking for Unmanned Aircraft
### Global Aeronautical Distress & Safety System (GADSS) Mandate: Current Status
The Global Aeronautical Distress & Safety System (GADSS) is an initiative by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aimed at enhancing the tracking of aircraft in distress and supporting the localization of crash sites. One of its key requirements is the one-minute distress signal for new commercial aircraft.
#### ICAO Standards and GADSS Timeline
ICAO has incorporated GADSS requirements into Annex 6, which specifies standards for aircraft operations. As of January 1, 2021, new commercial aircraft types were required to be equipped with a system capable of transmitting automated distress messages every minute in emergency situations.
Existing aircraft types were initially required to comply with GADSS tracking standards from January 1, 2023. However, the specific one-minute distress signal capability is only mandated for newly type-certified aircraft. Airlines are also required to have procedures for abnormal event tracking and to provide position information at least every 15 minutes during normal operations, which escalates to at least once per minute if an abnormal situation is detected.
#### One-Minute Distress Signal Requirement for New Aircraft
New commercial aircraft types must be equipped to transmit an autonomous distress signal at least once per minute if an emergency is detected, effective since January 1, 2021. Existing aircraft types are not explicitly required to retroactively fit this one-minute distress capability, but must comply with broader GADSS tracking and reporting standards.
The implementation of these requirements varies by country, as individual civil aviation authorities must adopt and enforce ICAO standards through national regulations.
#### Summary Table
| Requirement | New Aircraft (certified post-Jan 2021) | Existing Aircraft (certified pre-Jan 2021) | |---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------| | One-minute automatic distress signal | Mandated | Not mandated (except per local rules) | | 15-minute tracking (normal ops) | Mandated | Mandated | | Tracking escalation in emergencies | Mandated | Mandated |
#### Conclusion
The one-minute distress signal under GADSS is now required for all new commercial aircraft types seeking certification after January 1, 2021. This enhances the ability to quickly locate aircraft in distress and is part of a broader ICAO framework to improve global aviation safety. Existing fleets must comply with periodic position reporting, but do not have a blanket requirement for the one-minute distress signal unless required by specific national regulations.
Airbus, for instance, has implemented the Emergency Locator Transmitter with Distress Tracking (ELT-DT) capability as standard in all its new Widebody aircraft, while for Single-Aisle Family, it remains a customer-selectable option. The ELT-DT device on Airbus commercial aircraft is self-powered by its own battery and can broadcast the aircraft's position independently of the aircraft's own navigation systems.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has certified the new-generation ELT-DT device with the ADT capability on Airbus commercial aircraft. The new ADT function on the ELT automatically broadcasts the aircraft's location and other parameters every minute via a dedicated satellite network to the operator and search-and-rescue (SAR) services. Once triggered, the ELT-DT cannot be switched off.
- The initiative of one-minute automatic distress signals is not only a requirement for new commercial aircraft certified after January 1, 2021, but Airbus, for instance, has implemented this feature as standard in all its new Widebody aircraft.
- In the aerospace industry, finance plays a crucial role as regulatory bodies like the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) have certified the new-generation Emergency Locator Transmitter with Distress Tracking (ELT-DT) device with ADT capability on Airbus commercial aircraft, enabling technology to automatically broadcast the aircraft's location and other parameters every minute via a dedicated satellite network.
