Paragliding takes place in an increasingly shared airspace — with gliders, ultralights, light aviation and sometimes aircraft at low altitude on approach or in the mountains. ADS-L gives paraglider pilots a simple way to transmit their position and be electronically perceived by other users equipped with a compatible receiver or suitable relay infrastructure — the reverse is only true if the paraglider pilot themselves has ADS-L In and the other aircraft transmits on a protocol they can receive.
What the FOCA recommends for paragliding
For paragliding, hang gliding, rigid wings and electric slope gliders, the FOCA's current technical recommendation focuses first on ADS-L Out transmission. Reception (ADS-L In) is presented as a point of interest to consider, particularly for the most maneuverable aircraft — not as a general obligation for all practitioners. If you already have FANET or FANET+ equipment, the FOCA recommends keeping it during the transition period towards wider adoption of ADS-L reception, and considering an upgrade when possible — FANET+ is not required as a purchase condition: a simple FANET device is not penalized by this recommendation. A FANET+ device without ADS-L Out will not be directly visible to an ADS-L user, unless relayed by ground infrastructure. ADS-L In can provide additional traffic awareness when the equipment allows it, but never replaces visual vigilance — see the FOCA's technical recommendation for paragliding.
Why this matters for free flight
A paraglider is hard to see: small silhouette, variable speed, sometimes unpredictable trajectories in thermals. An aircraft equipped with ADS-L reception can detect the presence of a paraglider equipped for transmission, even when visual visibility is limited by distance, backlight, or a cluttered sky.
In practice, in flight
An ADS-L device for paragliding is generally a small unit attached to the harness or built into a flight instrument (vario/GPS). It transmits automatically as soon as it is powered on, with no action needed from the pilot. Some models also display detected nearby aircraft if the device has a reception function and a screen.
Choosing equipment
Criteria to consider:
- Transmission and/or reception: some devices don't transmit, others transmit and receive.
- Battery life and integration: standalone unit or combined with an existing vario/GPS.
- Compatibility with your current instrument, if applicable.
Our configurator helps you identify 1 to 3 devices suited to your flying style and budget.