What is the purpose of ADS-B in air traffic control?

The purpose of Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) in air traffic control is fundamentally to enable aircraft to broadcast their position and relevant flight information. This technology utilizes Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) data, allowing aircraft to determine their precise location and share this information along with velocity and other data with air traffic control and nearby aircraft.

This broadcast capability enhances situational awareness for both controllers and pilots, facilitating better monitoring of aircraft positions, improving safety, and enabling more efficient airspace usage. With ADS-B, pilots and air traffic controllers can have real-time information about aircraft that may not be visible on traditional radar systems, particularly in areas where radar coverage is limited or absent.

While enhancing radar coverage, providing flight information to pilots, and potentially evolving from existing radar systems may have some relation to the overall context of surveillance in aviation, they are not the primary purpose of ADS-B. The central function remains the broadcasting of precise positional and informational data directly from aircraft.