How AirGuard + ADS-B Brings Manned Aircraft and Drone Insights into One View

Introducing AirGuard + ADS-B: Instant Airspace Awareness Intelligence

We are glad to announce that AirGuard, the drone detection software platform, now offers the option to enable its built-in ADS-B integration, which lets teams see manned air traffic and drone threat detection insights side by side around your perimeter, instantly, on a single screen, so they can respond in real time with a security posture they can count on.

Before, security operators had to switch between systems to get a clearer picture of what was happening in their perimeter’s airspace, manned air traffic on one side, drones on the other. They had to mentally connect the two. That back-and-forth created confusing intelligence, slowed down response times, and left real risk for confusion, even an incident. Now, with this built-in ADS-B integration, security operators can see both on a single platform, giving them sharper intelligence for a faster, more effective response.

A Drone Near JFK and Why Airspace Awareness Matters

On June 29, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it's investigating after a JetBlue flight reported hitting a drone while approaching New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. According to Reuters, the FAA said the pilot of the Airbus A321 reported the hit at around 3,000 feet during final approach. Fortunately, the flight landed safely.

Drones shouldn't fly near airports, according to the FAA, which warns that pilots would have a hard time spotting and avoiding them mid-flight. This is exactly the kind of situation AirGuard + ADS-B is built for: with complete airspace awareness around your perimeter, security operators can spot drones in time and respond before it turns into an incident.

What This Integration Delivers

AirGuard gives you the full picture of what's happening in your airspace’s perimeter, both now and in the past, by combining manned aircraft and drone detection data.

The live map is where real-time awareness happens. Through AirGuard's integration with FlightAware, an industry-leading aviation data provider, the platform pulls in real-time manned aircraft data, including aircraft type, altitude, speed, heading, origin, destination, call sign, and registration.

Then, there's the historical or records view, which isn't just a recording of what happened. It's built to give operators exactly what they need for forensic analysis and risk assessment. This view includes manned aircraft data like altitude, flight ID, aircraft manufacturer, description and type, flight start and end times, and origin and destination.

On the Records page, if you select "Inspect," security operators can see the Playback page, where they can review the recording of the selected manned aircraft or drone detection.

Because all of this historical data lives within the same AirGuard platform, security operators never lose the thread between manned aircraft and drone activity. Everything stays connected, exactly where they need it.

How It Works: Five Steps from Detection to Review

1. Detect: On one side, AirGuard's sensor suite: Remote ID, radio frequency, radar, electro-optical and infrared cameras, catches the drone threat the moment it enters the perimeter’s airspace. On the other side, manned aircraft data is streamed into AirGuard by FlightAware.

2. Co-Display: AirGuard automatically displays simultaneously the ADS-B data with the drone detection data, bringing all the insights together on one screen.

3. See: Right on AirGuard’s Live Map, operators can instantly confirm whether it is a drone or a manned aircraft flying in the airspace, and how close drones are to manned aircraft around the perimeter. No mental math, no cross-referencing required.
4. Act: With all the intelligence already in hand, the operator can act fast and get ahead of any incident before it escalates.
5. Review: Security operators can review what happened through a historical or records view and playback page in AirGuard. It gives them exactly what they need for forensic analysis and risk assessment.

This combined data, all in one picture, is what turns a stressful, reactive moment into a confident, controlled response.

Built Around How Security Operators Actually Work

What security operators want is pretty straightforward: no more pressure, no more incomplete information. They want a clear, trustworthy view: one that makes every decision lead to the outcome they're actually after: a safe airspace and a secure facility.

“AirGuard's built-in ADS-B integration, gives security teams instant insight into manned aircraft and drone threats, all on one screen, so they can act in the decisive moment.”

Robert Tabbara, Founder & CEO, AirSight

The Case for Airspace Awareness Today

The FAA reports that the number of drones in American airspace keeps climbing, with the recreational fleet now around 1.93 million units. Some of them, quite literally, are flying under the radar. Drones aren't going away, which is exactly why airspace awareness solutions like AirGuard + ADS-B matter now more than ever: they give you a clear picture of where drones and manned aircraft actually are, so that gap never has the chance to turn into an incident.

See how AirGuard and ADS-B work together to deliver instant airspace awareness, from corrections and airports to critical infrastructure - and watch the difference for yourself.