quadrant

ads-b and multilateration solution

highlights
Expandable and modular solution
Dynamic management of interrogation
patterns according to aircraft
capabilities and current states
Interrogation Power, Direction
and Repetition Rate is managed
dynamically
High performance receiver
Configuration of outputs to individual
GO and NOGO criteria relating to
the availability of defined system
components
Option for integrated VSAT
connectivity
Long term synchronisation after loss of
GPS signal

COMSOFT

quadrant modern surveillance technologies

covering
demands
COMSOFTs ADS-B solution fits perfectly with
a range of customer demands: from ensuring
seamless air and ground surveillance, through
the accurate tracking of airport ground vehicles,
to complete coverage over the remotest areas via
satellite communication. Quadrant demonstrates
its superiority as a forward thinking solution,
able to solve multiple requirements on
one single hardware platform.

Quadrant is COMSOFTs response to growing demands from the

Air Navigation Service Providers, pressured by limited investment
budgets and an increasing demand for high quality air and ground
surveillance.

Quadrant is an expandable, modular solution providing

independent, genuine 3D, position measurement using
Multilateration techniques, by means of multiple ground stations
reporting over conventional communication links. Advanced
algorithms precisely calculate aircraft positions which are typically
updated much more frequently than conventional radar.

the
performance

With Quadrant ADS-B surveillance infrastructures

Quadrants main constituent is the compact

can be increased without costly investments

like radar, so, with minimal investment, it

and self-contained Quadrant Sensor. It comprises

a high performance 1090 MHz receiver and a GPS

is possible to provide a precise and high-

antenna system. Its rugged design and unique

features, such as extreme low power consumption,

quality air situation picture with a high

low bandwidth requirements and a compact form,

allow Quadrant to be set up easily anywhere,
making it perfectly suited for installations
in previously undeveloped areas.

update rate.

ads-b, mode s & ssr

ADS-B provides a surveillance capability in regions of

airspace where aircraft are suitably equipped to transmit

ads-b

passive m

extended squitter on 1090 MHz. The increasing population

of aircraft equipped with ADS-B promotes the use of
ADS-B as an important and cost-effective surveillance
solution.
Quadrant Sensors provide this solution as a single ground
station or a distributed network, complying with the
latest standards. In all cases, the air picture integrates
with existing systems using industry standard messaging
formats.

of aircraft to request specific items of information.

A Quadrant network then becomes active with the

CAT21

available in aircraft. Mode S enables selective addressing

MLAT FEED
& CAT21

Sensor

ADS-B provides a read-only solution to the information

introduction of its Quadrant Transmitter.

Quadrant Sensors combined with Interrogators become
an ideal and cost effective alternative for Mode S
radars, and with its distributed nature, includes inherent
redundancy. All system parameters can be controlled
remotely using the Quadrant Control and Monitoring
System (QCMS), which ensures permanent performance
supervision during operation.
The sensors and Interrogators directly connect to IP
networks and supports remote and interactive system
configuration. Once set up, the Quadrant Sensor
transmits surveillance data to up to 20 different client
systems compliant with the ASTERIX standard. The sensor
features auto adjustment of sensitivity and signal noise
level, supporting an easy installation without the need
for specialised RF tools or time consuming, laborious
installation procedures.
Its high precision clock enables the ground station to form
the basis of a network for Multilateration surveillance.

Data
Network

Data
Netw

multilateration

mlat

active mlat

Quadrant provides an independent, genuine 3D, position

measurement using Multilateration. The arrangement of
sensors and the timing of information they collect deliver
accurate positions to be determined for wide and local
area systems.
The Quadrant Central Processor provides a common
point for collecting messages from remote Quadrant
Sensors. It is able to combine messages that are received
by remote Quadrant Sensors and provides multiple
time-synchronisation options. Wide area and local
area synchronisation is provided by GPS and reference

MLAT FEED
& CAT21

Multiple
Sensors

Multiple
Sensors

transponders respectively. Remote sensors can form local

area and wide area clusters simultaneously and with a
single Quadrant Central Processor.
The Quadrant Central Processor takes full advantage of
the remote intelligence of distributed Quadrant Sensors.

Transmitters

Pre-processing and time-stamping in the Quadrant

a
work

Sensors reduce the amount of data transmitted to the

Data
Network

Quadrant Central Processor to a minimum.

Interpreting the data received by a Quadrant Sensor is
Interrogation
Controller

done centrally. This takes advantage of the different

arrival times. Multilateration is the primary use of arrival
times, but validation of ADS-B reported positions is also
available.

Central
Processor

Central
Processor

Multilateration positioning solely requires a collection

of message arrival times and a method of identifying
the source of the transmission. The Quadrant Central
Processor is designed to multilaterate on any timestamped message provided by the remote sensors. This
enables Mode S, ADS-B and Mode A/C messages to be
treated as a source for Multilateration.
The Quadrant Central Processor maintains a common
time frame by synchronising the Quadrant Sensor clocks.
Multiple time frames can be defined and maintained; the

Quadrant System Architecture

Quadrant Central Processor applies the most appropriate

timing correction for the given situation.

quadrant functionality at a glance

Reception of ADS-B signals including

flight data such as Aircraft ID, A/C Type,

ads-b

passive mlat

active mlat

CAT21

CAT20

CAT20

ADS-B

Mode S

Mode A/C, S

timestamp, speed and Flight Level

transmitted by aircraft (ADS-B).
Conversion of received data into ASTERIX
for stand-alone operation
Transmission of all received signals to
a central processor for operation as
components of a larger integrated ADS-B
or Multilateration system
Independent A/C position measurement
through Multilateration
Optional: Visualization of ADS-B and
Multilateration data with QCMS
Maintenance-free solution
Supported Modes
Provides Mode S Enhanced Surveillance

functionality (EHS)
Power controlled interrogator sectorised

to increase reliability and decrease FRUIT

Interrogator output power depends on

range to target
Intelligent sensors: pre-processing is
done within the sensor to minimize

bandwidth
Independent sensors:1 sensor can
contribute to multiple ADS-B and MLAT

systems
Same sensor used for local area as well
as WAM

enhancements through qaudrant

how does quadrant enhance saftey?

ads-b
Contributes to greatly improved
track filtering leading to more
accurate tracks displayed to the
controller
Supports enhanced surveillancebased Safety Nets (STCA, MSAW)

passive mlat
High refresh rate for target reports
(<1 sec.)
More accurate track in position/

active mlat
High accuracy and timing
synchronization resistant to GPS
signal loss

speed (GPS/FMS based

computation) and future trajectory
intents (FMS based).

High precision data supports

enhanced runway incursion alerts

how does quadrant increase efficiency?

ads-b

passive mlat

Cost effective and efficient gap-

Surveillance layer with equivalent

filling surveillance in the case of

or higher cost efficiency compared

limited radar coverage

to Secondary Surveillance Radar

Fully expandable modular System

Installation where the traffic
volume does not justify a radar
installation
Operates as a stand-alone ADS-B
unit, but may also be used as part
of a larger integrated ADS-B or
Multilateration system without
upgrade or modification
Maintenance free solution (no
need to update sensor or revisit
site)

Supplements or replaces radar

surveillance coverage
Same sensor used for local area as
well as WAM

active mlat
Vehicle surveillance for A-SMGCS
solutions (A-CDM)
GPS outage compensation for
more than 24 hours

interrogation

COMSOFTs Quadrant Transmitter provides all necessary

interrogations. With the Quadrant Interrogation
subsystem consisting of Interrogators and a Quadrant
There are many

Interrogator Controller. Each Interrogator is deployed at

airspace regions

a defined location with an adjustable transmission power

with insufficient

and tailored coverage area. The Quadrant Interrogator

Mode S system

Controller processes the air situation from the Quadrant

coverage, or aircraft

Central Processor and determines a schedule of

equipage unable to

interrogations for each Quadrant Interrogator.

provide an acceptable
quality of the air situation picture.
Key pieces of aircraft information are not

COMSOFTs Quadrant Transmitter is designed to integrate

with a Quadrant Central Processor. The Quadrant

transmitted unsolicitedly by the aircraft and need to be

Interrogator Controller analyses the air situation picture to

triggered by specific interrogations. Each interrogation

determine which targets require a position as information

produces a reply which is received and decoded by

Quadrant Sensors.

update. It uses its knowledge of the available Quadrant

Interrogators and the missing information to create
and schedule specific interrogations for each Quadrant
Interrogator.

monitoring, analysis & control

ADS-B and Multilateration are new concepts for many

formats provided. This monitoring and control ability is

users and it is important to provide confidence in

provided remotely and in real-time: system configuration

the availability and performance of the system. The

is greatly simplified.

distributed nature of Quadrant requires monitoring the

availability of each ground station as well as analysis

Operational parameters, such as Multilateration accuracy

of the impact of each ground station on the system

and system coverage, can be analysed in real-time or

performance.

by using recorded data. When using recorded data the

performance may be validated whilst simulating the loss

For any operational system, basic system monitoring is

provided to ensure minimum performance level and to
warn users of system degradation. During installation
and validation a more comprehensive set of analysis
capabilities are required and these are provided by
Quadrants Control and Monitoring System (QCMS).
The coverage of each ground station can be measured
and reported in real-time and integrated over extended
periods.
The aircraft message loading of each Quadrant Sensor
can be measured and reported. The impact on network
bandwidth can be adjusted by controlling the message

of one or more redundant ground stations.

midget

technical data
ADS-B Messages

COMSOFTs Ground Vehicle Transmitter

MIDGET completes the Quadrant product
family as a well suited solution for the
increasing number of ground vehicles
found at airports.
The compact, fully autonomous ADS-B ground vehicle
device supports the tracking of ground-based objects by
broadcasting the position and speed of the carrier-vehicle,

Message format: DF=18 (non-transponder)

Code format:

CF=1

Address:

24-bit ICAO / non-ICAO address

Messages:

Surface Position Identification

Average Transmission Period

Surface Position: 0.5 s when moving, 5 s when stationary
Identification:

up to 8 letters/digits

Supply
Voltage:

10.0 to 32.2 V DC

Current:

max. 0.2 A @ 12.0 V

GPS Receiver

thus providing valuable information for airport ground

Type:

L1 Frequency, C/A Code, SBAS

traffic management. The unit includes a GPS receiver

No of channels:

50

with patch antenna which provides position and velocity

Signal acquisition: 40 s (typical value,good sky view)

data for the unit. The data is processed and transmitted

according to DO-260B standard at 1090 MHz, making the
vehicle visible to ground stations and to aircraft equipped
with 1090 MHz ADS-B receivers.

Transmitter
Frequency:

1090 1 MHz

Power:

10 W

Physical
In addition to position, speed and heading data, each

Dimensions:

approx. 244 x 121 x 112 mm

unit also reports the identification code of the unit thus

Weight:

approx. 625 g

allowing easy recognition.

Environmental

The MIDGET can either be easily positioned on a vehicle

Operating temperature: -40C to +70C

with magnets, or can be permanently fixed, MIDGET is

Storage temperature:

intended for permanent installation and power is supplied

from the vehicle power system.

-55C to +85C

vsat capabilities

COMSOFTs compact and self-contained Quadrant Sensor includes a built-in VSAT terminal,
which enables complete and total independence from any terrestrial network infrastructure.

key features
Two-way IP Unicast and Multicast connectivity
Up to 6.5 Mbps network capacity
Built-in TCP acceleration for bandwidth efficiency
Support of VLAN, multi-level QoS, codec-independent
handling of real-time traffic
Centralised management from hub network
management solution (CNMS)
Dynamic routing protocols support DSCP,
end-to-end VLAN, RIP, L2 Bridging, CRTP, DHCP, IGMP,
proxy ARP

Integrated

commercial benefits

ADS-B / VSAT
solution

Convenient One-Stop-Shop service provider

Equipment cost savings by housing satellite modem
within the Quadrant shell
Cost efficient power supply reduction in maintenance
requirements

For the first time ADS-B and VSAT are integrated on one

The ultra-low latency VSAT terminal, with round-trip delay

hardware platform. A transparent, bi-directional satellite

of around 570 ms, supports up to 2040 terminals per ATC

connection is made available to extend the universal

network.

applicability of the Quadrant Sensor. This exceptional

feature allows for deployment in rural areas where no

By simply adding low power consumption for the

terrestrial connection or even electrical power supply is

VSAT terminal, the Quadrant Sensor can benefit from

present.

small solar power stations to operate in nearly every

environmental condition.

The integrated VSAT terminal provides two-way

broadband satellite connectivity on the Quadrant Sensor,
which is compatible with C-, Ku- and Ka-band frequencies,
for transmission over the most widely available satellite
capacity, while supporting an ultra-fast communication
start-up available in just 20 seconds.

summary
references
Quadrant is installed in a variety of landscapes, responding to multiple customer demands.
Surveillance over archipelagos or mountain ranges, and from sub-zero temperatures to heat
of the desert some significant examples are highlighted below.
India

Denmark

COMSOFTs long-range ADS-B technology provided an

NAVIAIR selected COMSOFTs robust Quadrant to provide

ideal surveillance solution for India, where long distances

highly accurate Wide Area Multilateration coverage for

and regions with extremely high altitudes presented a

Denmarks airspace and approaches. 25 WAM stations

special challenge.

installed country-wide allow for complex Air Traffic

Management tasks to be performed, including eliminating

Iceland

coastal surveillance gaps.

Icelands glacial landscape and icy temperatures present

no challenge for the tough Quadrant technology and its

Ongoing projects

exceptional range, exceeding 250 NM, has the ability to

In Vietnam the redundant Quadrant sensors will cover the

achieve coverage close to the vast Reykjavik FIR of 5.4

whole northern region down to Da Nang, with 15 receiver

million square kilometres.

sensors located at seven sites and provide increased

surveillance for the neighbouring sea.

Tanzania
Tanzania became one of the first African countries

Seoul Regional Aviation Administration are set to

to implement the state-of-the-art ADS-B technology,

benefit from COMSOFTs cutting-edge Multilateration

completing installation in October 2014.

and Advanced Surface Movement Guidance (A-SMGCS)

technology, to enable high performance and a three-

Maldives

dimensional image of air traffic at South Koreas second

More than 1000 coral islands of the Maldives 90,000

largest international airport.

square kilometres are perfectly observed using

COMSOFTs ADS-B Quadrant Sensors and allow the
necessary surveillance of seaplanes.

ADS-B worldwide references state 02/2015

Your Contact:
Manfred Schmid
Wachhausstr. 5a
76227 Karlsruhe
Germany
Tel.: +49-721-9497-0
Fax: +49-721-9497-1019
E-Mail: info@comsoft.aero
Internet: www.comsoft.aero

COMSOFT
20-002-b-XV