ADS-B Privacy Battle: Why Congress Is Moving to Ban Fee-Based Misuse of Pilot Tracking Data

ADS-B Out technology has transformed the safety of US airspace since it became mandatory in 2020 — giving pilots real-time traffic awareness and giving controllers dramatically improved radar coverage. But a troubling secondary use has emerged: airports and private companies using ADS-B transponder data to automatically identify and charge general aviation pilots ramp fees and landing fees, often without the pilot ever knowing they were being tracked.

The Problem: ADS-B as a Cash Register

“ADS-B data should never be used for accessing a pilot’s personal information or for being used as a cash register,” said AOPA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Jim Coon. “It should be used for its intended purpose — to give pilots situational awareness to help avoid mid-air collisions and for controllers to create airspace efficiencies.”

The concern goes beyond privacy. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in February 2026 that the fee-collection practice “should be prohibited.” Homendy warned that ADS-B-derived fees could discourage pilots from installing or using the technology — directly undermining the safety benefits that justified mandating it in the first place.

The PAPA Bill: Growing Congressional Support

The Pilot and Aircraft Privacy Act (PAPA) has been gaining cosponsors in Congress throughout early 2026. The bill would prohibit the use of ADS-B data to collect fees from pilots at the federal level, creating a uniform national standard that would supersede the patchwork of state-level legislation currently developing.

State-level action has been moving quickly. Montana was the first state to ban ADS-B-based fee collection in May 2025. Florida’s House of Representatives passed a similar bill on March 10, 2026, sending it to the governor’s desk. Lawmakers in Arizona, Oklahoma, Minnesota and more than a dozen other states have introduced or are considering similar legislation.

What This Means for Pilots

For now, the situation varies by state and by airport. Pilots who have received unexpected invoices based on ADS-B tracking should be aware that their legal protections are expanding rapidly. AOPA recommends that pilots who receive ADS-B-based fee demands contact AOPA’s legal services team for guidance.

The broader principle at stake matters for the long-term health of general aviation. If ADS-B — a federally mandated safety system — becomes associated with financial surveillance, it creates a chilling effect that could cause pilots to avoid equipped aircraft or modify their routes to stay out of ADS-B coverage. That outcome would be directly contrary to the safety goals that drove the mandate.