In a significant move towards enhancing air traffic control efficiency, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is set to implement advanced surveillance technology starting January 1, 2024. This technology allows flight operators to reduce the lateral separation between aircraft, from the current 10 nautical miles (18.5 km) to five nautical miles.

AAI, responsible for regulating airspace in India, has invested substantially in upgrading navigation radars and technology to bring about this change. The reduction in lateral separation not only optimizes airspace utilization but also enables flight operators to take more direct routes, resulting in fuel savings.

This development comes at a crucial time as the demand for air travel in the Indian aviation sector is on the rise. Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia highlighted a 75% increase in the number of aircraft since the financial year 2013-14, with expectations of doubling this figure in the next five years.

With the upcoming operationalization of Noida and Navi Mumbai airports, both New Delhi and Mumbai are poised to become two-airport cities by the next year, making it imperative to increase airspace capacity.

The modernization efforts include the mandated use of modern transponders, specifically Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B), on a majority of routes since 2018. These transponders continuously transmit essential information about the aircraft, facilitating improved surveillance.

An AAI official stated, “Our surveillance capabilities have improved significantly with the upgrade of all radars to Mode-S and the widespread adoption of ADS-B. Following safety assessments, we have been able to reduce lateral separation between two aircraft.”

Industry insiders, such as a senior official with IndiGo, anticipate that the new system will contribute to more fuel-efficient routings, marking a positive step forward in the evolution of air traffic control technology in India.