ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

ADS-B

Okay, imagine you're playing hide and seek with your friends. You walk around trying to find them, but you can't see them because they are hiding. It's the same with planes flying in the sky. We can't always see them because they are far away or hiding behind clouds.

But, there is a special system called ADS-B that helps us know exactly where planes are in the sky. Just like how your mom might have a tracker on her phone to know where you are, ADS-B tracks planes.

ADS-B stands for Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast. It's a big fancy name, but what it means is that planes have special equipment that sends out signals with information about the plane, like where it's going, how fast it's flying, and what its call sign is.

These signals are broadcasted, or sent out, to other planes and air traffic control. This helps everyone know where each plane is, so they can avoid crashing into each other. It's like playing hide and seek with walkie talkies.

So, ADS-B helps keep planes safe in the sky by making sure everyone knows where everyone else is. Cool, huh?