The OpenSky Network has been collecting and providing crowdsourced air traffic surveillance data since 2013. The network has primarily focused on Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data, which provides highfrequency position updates over terrestrial areas. However, the ADS-B signals are limited over oceans and remote regions, where ground-based receivers are scarce. To address these coverage gaps, the OpenSky Network has begun incorporating data from the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Contract (ADS-C) system, which uses satellite communication to track aircraft positions over oceanic regions and remote areas. In this paper, we analyze a dataset of over 720,000 ADS-C messages collected in 2024 from around 2,600 unique aircraft via the Alphasat satellite, covering Europe, Africa, and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. We present our approach to combining ADS-B and ADS-C data to construct detailed long-haul flight paths, particularly for transatlantic and African routes. Our findings demonstrate that this integration significantly improves trajectory reconstruction accuracy, allowing for better fuel consumption and emissions estimates. We illustrate how combined data captures flight patterns across previously underrepresented regions across Africa. Despite coverage limitations, this work marks an important advancement in providing open access to global flight trajectory data, enabling new research opportunities in air traffic management, environmental impact assessment, and aviation safety.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    OpenSky Report 2025: Improving Crowdsourced Flight Trajectories with ADS-C Data


    Contributors:


    Publication date :

    2025-04-08


    Size :

    2670617 byte





    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



    OpenSky Report 2022: Evaluating Aviation Emissions Using Crowdsourced Open Flight Data

    Sun, Junzi / Basora, Luis / Olive, Xavier et al. | IEEE | 2022


    OpenSky Report 2020: Analysing in-flight emergencies using big data

    Olive, Xavier / Tanner, Axel / Strohmeier, Martin et al. | IEEE | 2020


    OpenSky Report 2024: Analysis of Global Flight Contrail Formation and Mitigation Potential

    Sun, Junzi / Olive, Xavier / Roosenbrand, Esther et al. | IEEE | 2024


    OpenSky Report 2023: Low Altitude Traffic Awareness for Light Aircraft with FLARM

    Olive, Xavier / Strohmeier, Martin / Sun, Junzi et al. | IEEE | 2023


    OpenSky Report 2019: Analysing TCAS in the Real World using Big Data

    Schafer, Matthias / Olive, Xavier / Strohmeier, Martin et al. | IEEE | 2019