Inmarsat Testing Shows Flight Tracking Possibilities

Inmarsat, the British satellite company that sprang into the headlines earlier this year when they aided the search for lost Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, have said that they have conducted tests that show the possibilities for tracking flights at 15 minute intervals without the need for elevated costs.

The tests, conducted with Qantas Airways and Virgin Australia, highlighted that current technology is capable of identifying aircraft positioning every 15 minutes, effectively supporting the ICAO plan to scrap current 30-40 minute reporting intervals.

Inmarsat suggested that 15-minute reporting intervals are possible without raising costs, creating a ‘good balance’ between monitoring requirements, limitations of the system installed and the cost of operation.