ADS-L Guide
Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Light (ADS-L) is a simplified version of ADS-B, developed for light aircraft and drones.
Key Features
Optimized for light aircraft with lower power
Developed for UAS/UAV and Remote ID
Interoperability with existing infrastructure
ADS-L operates on 868.2 MHz in Europe, sharing the same frequency band as FLARM, OGN, FANET, and PilotAware. This allows Stratux receivers with 868 MHz capability to receive ADS-L transmissions alongside other traffic protocols.
What is ADS-L?
ADS-L (Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Light) is a simplified surveillance protocol specifically developed for light aircraft, ultralight aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS/drones).
Unlike full ADS-B, ADS-L requires less bandwidth and power, making it ideal for smaller platforms that cannot carry full ADS-B equipment.
With the increasing importance of Remote ID for drones, ADS-L is gaining relevance for the integration of UAS into airspace.
ADS-L vs. ADS-B
ADS-L
- Lower power consumption
- More compact hardware possible
- Ideal for drones and UAS
- Remote ID compliant
- Operates on 868.2 MHz (EU)
ADS-B
- Full surveillance protocol
- Higher range
- Standard for commercial aviation
- More data fields available
- Operates on 1090 MHz (EU) / 978 MHz (US)
