CARATS Open Data for
Research & Development
Background
With an increase in the global air traffic demand, air traffic systems are expected to improve for safer and more efficient
air traffic management. A long-term vision, which is known as collaborative actions for renovation of air traffic systems(CARATS), has been established with the committee comprising academic experts, manufacturers, and related ministries
and agencies including Japan Civil Aviation Bureau, promoting the renovation and modernization of the current air trafficsystems. One of the committee’s activities constitutes the distribution of CARATS open data to accelerate the researchand development in the fields of air traffic management and communication, navigation, and surveillance. Currently,
CARATS open data contain a series of track data and weather data while the contents have been expanded. A series oftrack data are converted from the actual instrument-flight-rules (IFR)-scheduled-flights data recorded in the radar
information and flight plan databases. The data have been processed to remove the need for confidentiality and areintended for general release. A total of approximately 1.58 million flights data are available, which are provided toapplicants for the sole purpose of research and development or academic-related objectives. Till date, the annual numberof users from various fields, such as industry, academia, and government including foreign organizations, has significantlyincreased. It is considered that the CARATS open data will be utilized for activities that will foster the development of airtransportation. Electronic Navigation Research Institute (ENRI) has extended its support to create data and promote theactivity, given its experience in using radar data for research including performance analysis.

Specification
The track data containing time histories of latitude, longitude,pressure altitude, and aircraft types provided in a commaseparated value format are collected for CARATS open data.
Since the scope of the data has gradually expanded, they may
have different contents with respect to a given year.
Period2012 to 2018 (1,580,000 flights)

SourceRadar / ADS-C / MLAT

Coverage

Fukuoka FIR, IFR scheduled flights(including international flights)

Fukuoka FIR:
Radar control area: 10 sec interval

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Oceanic control area: 1 min interval

2015 2016 2017 2018
Terminal area: 8 sec intervalTokyo international airport, Fukuoka airport

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Air route traffic control
Terminal
radar control
Aerodromecontrol
AirportAir route
Terminal area

Airport surface: 1 sec intervalTokyo international airport, Fukuoka airport

Terminal
radar control
Aerodromecontrol
Terminal area

2016 2017 2018
Data contents

AirportTrajectory viewer "PlotTrack" and “PlotSurface“With its joint collaboration, ENRI has developed andprovided the trajectory viewer, PlotTrack andPlotSurface, to support the open data. It can display
aircraft movements with fast forwarding capabilities
and visualize images of all radar tracks. Moreover, it
helps entrants catch a glimpse of traffic flow over theJapanese airspace easily.

PlotSurface

PlotTrack

Position ofaircraft※Flight ID is given as a virtual ID due to confidentiality reasons.

National Institute of Maritime, Port and Aviation Technology
Electronic Navigation Research Institute7-42-23, Jindaijihigashi-machi, Chofu, Tokyo, 182-0012 Japan
Phone: +81-422-41-3165 Fax.: +81-422-41-3169
ENRI Website: https://www.enri.go.jp/

Left column – Flight ID
Right column – Aircraft Type

Display image
Contact details for CARATS open data:
Secretariat of the Committee for PromotingRenovation of the Air Traffic System,
Civil Aviation Bureau, MLIT.
Email: carats@mlit.go.jp