Definition
BDAT (digitized beacon data) is air traffic control radar information derived from secondary surveillance radar — that is, from the transponder beacon return of an aircraft — converted into digital form for processing and display on controller workstations. It includes the aircraft's identity (from the transponder code or assigned data block), altitude (from Mode C), and position, presented as a digital target rather than a raw analog radar blip.
Plain English
It is the digital version of the signal that comes back from an aircraft's transponder, which the controller's screen turns into a tagged target showing who you are, where you are, and how high you are.
Context Anchor
Seen in FAA acronym lists, NOTAM-related material, and discussions of air traffic control surveillance systems.
Derivation
‘Beacon’ in this context refers to the transponder beacon — the aircraft's onboard device that replies to a ground radar interrogation with a coded signal. ‘Digitized’ simply means converted from an analog signal into digital data a computer can process. So BDAT is beacon (transponder) returns turned into digital information.
Why Pilots Care
It enables controllers to track and identify aircraft accurately on digital displays, supporting safe separation in controlled airspace.
Intuition Check
Beacon does not mean the rotating airport light here. In BDAT, beacon means radio signal information from aircraft equipment that air traffic systems can use.
Example Sentence 1
The controller's display shows your aircraft as a digital target because BDAT from your transponder is being processed by the ATC system.
Example Sentence 2
Modern radar systems convert beacon replies into BDAT for real-time display in the tower.