Alternately, it can provide information to be gathered that would be helpful in a search. In addition to giving the identity of the plane, the new technology ELTs have several other important advantages not provided by the existing units. They have better location accuracy, drastically cutting down the area that needs to be searched. Response time is much shorter because the improved accuracy allows the rescue response to begin after only one satellite contact, while the older units require at least two separate contacts. They have enhanced crash survivability, greatly improving the odds of their working after the crash.
Further improvements are on the horizon.
ELTs that put the aircraft location at the time of the crash, as determined by onboard navigation equipment, into the ELT signal burst transmission will soon be available. This pinpoint location will lead rescuers directly to the crash site and virtually take the search out of search and rescue. With these self- locating ELTs, the rescue reaction time will be further shortened by signal relay through geostationary satellites. This delays the reception of the ELT signal by the ground stations. NOAA's geostationary weather satellites and the ground system are equipped to perform this function today.