In order to implement the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Development of the General Aviation Industry by the General Office of the State Council, speed up the application of new technologies, such as Beidou system and ADS-B, in low altitude airspace, CAAC recently issued the Guiding Opinions on the Application of Surveillance Technology in Low Altitude Airspace in Civil Aviation (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions) for trial implementation across the industry.

Under the unified arrangement of the leading group of general aviation of CAAC, the Office of Air Traffic Management was responsible for organizing and developing the Opinions. In light of the progress of national low altitude airspace management reform, focusing on the international standardization of Beidou system and its application in civil aviation carried out by CAAC and in accordance with the requirements for building a service system for flight in low altitude airspace, the Opinions is designed to strengthen the surveillance service for general aviation activities in low altitude airspace, continuously improve the service quality of flights in low altitude airspace and provide technical support to the low altitude airspace management reform, so as to seek new breakthroughs and lay a solid foundation for the application of Beidou system in civil aviation.

The surveillance technology constitutes an important technical basis in modern civil aviation operation and air traffic management. CAAC has always attached great importance to the application of new surveillance technology in civil aviation industry. In recent years, a civil aviation surveillance network with the radar and ADS-B as its core has been basically formed in transport aviation. With the rapid development of general aviation in China, the surveillance technology applicable to low altitude airspace is undergoing continuous development. At present, basic conditions are ripe for the application of new surveillance technology in low altitude airspace.

According to the Opinions, a surveillance technology service supporting system for low altitude airspace will be built, which will have Beidou system positioning information at its core and integrate a variety of surveillance technologies. The Opinions provides guidelines for major technology applications applicable to different types of surveillance, their corresponding requirements and supporting measures for surveillance technology, which will give more scientific guidance to technology innovation, product development, practical operation and application in general aviation industry, therefore leading to a standardized, orderly, sustainable and rapid development of China’s general aviation industry.