[Scan-DC] Interesting "test" airplane showing up on ADS-B

[Andrew Clegg]

I just started running ADS-B on my Raspberry Pi and feeding data to Flightaware.com. One of the interesting decodes is a "plane" with the Ident of "MTRTEST3," which is stationary, and corresponds in Google Earth to a location coincident with one of MITRE's office buildings in Tysons. The ICAO hex code is ADFC2C.


I guess MITRE is running an experimental ADS-B transmitter on its roof? Anyone know what specifically they're experimenting with?


I checked the FCC's experimentals and there's nothing registered for that site at 1090 MHz. MITRE could be working off an NTIA authorization, which wouldn't show up in the FCC's database. Looks like they've been pretty active in developing the whole ADS-B technology, so it makes sense they would have an experimental system. Kind of odd to have a stationary airplane show up in the data though!