US-based Aireon and aviation software provider FlightAware has introduced its new GlobalBeacon flight tracking solution for airlines.

Designed to help airlines comply with International Civil Aviation Organisation’s (ICAO) global aeronautical distress safety system (GADSS) recommendations and requirements, GlobalBeacon was mainly developed to help troubling commercial aircraft over remote locations.

“No other product can provide 100% global tracking, in real-time, without the cost of additional avionics equipage."

Created in response to the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines’ MH370 in 2014, the new solution will provide web-based, real-time and global tracking of automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) equipped aircraft to airlines by 2018.

Aireon CEO Don Thoma said: “GlobalBeacon was created to help solve an important problem that has bedeviled the aviation industry since commercial flight began.

“No other product can provide 100% global tracking, in real-time, without the cost of additional avionics equipage.

“We’ve already seen significant interest from airlines in this solution, and you can expect to hear a big announcement on that front in the coming days.”

Featuring Aireon’s space-based ADS-B aircraft surveillance data and FlightAware’s flight tracking web interface and global flight tracking information, GlobalBeacon will provide configurable alerts, instant notification of abnormal events to airlines.

FlightAware’s flight tracking data includes origin, destination, flight plan route, position, and estimated time of arrival of aircraft.

Aireon said that the airlines equipped with GlobalBeacon would not require installing any other avionics in order to meet GADSS requirements.

The GADSS recommendations and requirements mandate aircraft report their position to their airline operations centre at least once in every 15min.

Under its collaboration with Aireon, FlightAware is planning to add Aireon’s space-based ADS-B surveillance data with its existing products, which are currently being used by various customers to track their aircraft.