The U.S. FAA announced that Houston air traffic controllers have begun using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) to more efficiently and safely separate and manage aircraft flying over the Gulf of Mexico, which previously had not had the benefit of radar coverage. Before ADS-B, controllers had to rely on an aircraft’s estimated or reported position. Aircraft equipped with ADS-B in the region will now know where they are in relation to bad weather and receive updated flight information. Commercial aircraft flying at high altitudes were previously kept as much as 120 mi apart to ensure safety. Controllers are now able to safely reduce the separation between ADS-B equipped aircraft to 5 nmi.