ERA

Squid - Vehicle Tracking

Enhancing Airport Safety with Comprehensive Vehicle Tracking

Airport Safety and Vehicle Tracking

At busy airports worldwide, ground vehicle incursion into critical safety areas is rising. Squid by Era minimizes the risk by using a fully standards compliant, vehicle-mounted ADS-B transponder that continually broadcasts a vehicle’s location. The transponder can be permanently or magnetically mounted to all airside vehicles, including tugs, fire and rescue vehicles and de-icing equipment. Each vehicle is clearly and uniquely identified, providing an essential addition to any Advanced Surface Movement Guidance and Control System (A-SMGCS).

A Squid Unit provides air traffic controllers with
uninterrupted location information of this
KLM Ground Vehicle at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol

Benefits

  • Full A-SMGCS exploitation
  • Safety enhancements under all weather conditions
  • Improved situational awareness
  • Reduced incursion risk
  • Seamless integration with ADS-B and multilateration surveillance solutions from other vendors

Features

  • 1090 MHz Mode S spontaneous squitter
  • Water resistant cable connector
  • Mode S address adjustment according to local conditions
  • Low electromagnetic emissions
  • Small dimensions and weight
  • Low power consumption
  • Status LED and GPS data output
  • Fully automated unattended operation

Applications

  • Surface Surveillance
  • A-SMGCS
  • Vehicle Tracking
  • General aviation aircraft
  • ADS-B

Design

Squid by Era is small, lightweight and easy to install in any vehicle.  The standard package includes:*

  • Beacon case comprising of Squid by Era electronics and both antennas (transmitting and GPS)
  • Magnetic or fixed holder
  • Cable
  • SW management tool package
  • User Guide

*   Final delivery specifications and mechanical design of Squid by Era can be modified according to the customer requirements. 

Applied Standards

  • ICAO ANNEX 10 Volume IV

Performance Parameters

    • Carrier frequency: 1090 MHz
    • Output power: 18 W (pulse)
    • Output message format: Mode S reply DF 18 (ES/NT) according to Annex 10, Vol.4
    • Interface: Resistant connector on the body of device (one connector both for the power line and bi-directional RS232 link) GPS data available separately on the SQUID output, provided GPS data are available from satellites. Protocol NMEA 0183 v2.3; WAAS, EGNOS supported.
    • DC voltage: +9 V to +32 V
    • Power consumption: ~ 3 W
    • Operating temperature: -40°C to +70°C
    • Dimensions: diameter 198 mm (7.8 in), height 157 mm (6.2 in)
    • Serviceability: Possibility to connect any computer (via standard interface) with software allowing to change the mode S DF 18 contents or to upgrade the SQUID firmware.