ADS-B Data Being Used 'Outside Intended Purpose,' GA Pilot Group Says

Pilots are facing 'frivolous lawsuits,' airport fees, and agency investigations based on data, according to the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, February 18, 2025 at 05:24 PM ET

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Edited By: tccjeremy

ADS-B equipment self-reports an aircraft's position. [Credit: Aspen Avionics/ FLYING file photo]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA mandated ADS-B for general aviation aircraft in 2020, intending to enhance aviation safety and air traffic management by replacing radar.
Pilots and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) are now raising privacy concerns, arguing ADS-B data is being used beyond its original safety intent.
This expanded use includes FAA enforcement actions, frivolous lawsuits against pilots for legal flights, and third-party companies using data to collect airport fees, leading to significant legal burdens for pilots.
AOPA has urged the FAA to restrict these uses of ADS-B data, while the FAA only responded regarding the legality of airport landing fees.

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When the FAA announced the requirement for the use of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) for GA aircraft, pilots were told this technology would increase aviation safety, as it would replace radar as the primary means for ATC to manage traffic separation.

Instead of having a person watch a radar scope for targets, the GPS on board and ADS-B equipment self-report the aircraft’s position and lets the pilot know the whereabouts of traffic around them. And it has been doing that since its implementation in 2020.