Description

Wirelessly Link to Weather, Traffic, GPS and More
Receive subscription-free animated U.S. datalink weather¹ via ADS-B “In”
ADS-B dual-band traffic with TargetTrend™ and TerminalTraffic™ technology³
Wireless connectivity to Garmin Pilot™, FltPlan Go and ForeFlight apps as well as select Garmin portables
Compact device with rechargeable battery; designed to sit on aircraft glareshield
Provides GPS position data, backup attitude4 and more
Providing an easy-to-use and completely portable aviation datalink, the compact GDL 50 ADS-B receiver lets you access the subscription-free ADS-B weather and traffic services available in the U.S. — all while providing GPS position, speed and altitude information as well as backup attitude reference. Better still, you can use our Connext® wireless connectivity to stream this information onto compatible Garmin aviation portables and mobile apps, such as Garmin Pilot or ForeFlight.
Track Aviation Weather
Featuring ADS-B “In” datalink technology, the GDL 50 receiver allows reception of subscription-free Flight Information Service-Broadcast (FIS-B) weather information. With this, your compatible devices² can display animated graphical weather plus METARs, TAFs, winds and temperatures aloft, PIREPs, NOTAMs and other features linked from ADS-B. And to help you maintain the most current weather picture, your GDL 50 receiver can queue the ADS-B weather data display while your display device is sleeping or turned off, so it automatically updates when you turn the screen back on.
Spot Potential Traffic Threats
To aid in situational awareness, GDL 50 can also receive ADS-B position reports directly from other aircraft in your vicinity. In the U.S., 2 frequencies (978 UAT and 1090 ES) are approved by the FAA for ADS-B broadcasts, so the GDL 50 series offers access to both frequencies. This allows you to see the most comprehensive view of all ADS-B “Out” equipped targets in your vicinity. Your compatible display³ will alert you by announcing traffic targets both audibly and visually. Spoken audio alerts announce “Traffic, Traffic” to get you looking right away.
View Enhanced Traffic Features
To further extend your display’s traffic monitoring capability (on compatible displays), the GDL 50 receiver also allows access to our TargetTrend relative motion tracking technology. This feature gives you a faster, more intuitive way to judge the direction and closure rate of intruding targets relative to your aircraft’s position. So, rather than a fixed “snapshot” of the traffic situation, TargetTrend provides a more dynamic “velocity-based” display that shows which aircraft trajectories are most likely to converge with your own. For example, if traffic is ahead of you and traveling along the same track but at a slower rate, the motion vector would point opposite of its indicated direction of flight to show you are overtaking the traffic. The result — you’re able to make faster, better target avoidance decisions.
For airport operations, TerminalTraffic technology (a part of the comprehensive Garmin suite of Terminal Safety Solutions) enables ADS-B equipped surface targets to be displayed on your device’s SafeTaxi® diagram, so you can see what’s happening with traffic on busy runways and taxiways. ADS-B equipped aircraft in flight are easily distinguished from ground vehicles and taxiing aircraft, which are displayed using distinct colors and symbols. Thus, TerminalTraffic provides a clear, real-time overview of on-surface activity in the airport environment.
Built-in GPS and Attitude Sensors for SVX™ Display
In addition to its weather and traffic capabilities, your GDL 50 feature set includes a built-in WAAS GPS receiver. This enables GDL 50 to deliver highly accurate aircraft position, speed and altitude information to your compatible mobile device app. Also, built-in attitude sensors enable select Garmin aviation portables and apps with our SVX synthetic vision technology to serve as a backup attitude reference4 during your flights. With virtual terrain, obstacles, runways, horizon cues, HSI, GPS speed, altitude and more, this brings a whole new perspective to your portable navigation.
Battery Power for Hours
GDL 50 is a true go-anywhere device. A rechargeable built-in lithium-ion battery allows GDL 50 to operate for up to 8 hours on a single charge. And for operation connected to power, you can plug it into your aircraft’s 12 V power outlet with the included adapter cable, or use the microUSB port positioned on the side of the receiver.

Link up with the Benefits of ADS-B
For pilots who want subscription-free U.S. datalink weather and traffic, the compact GDL 50 portable ADS-B receiver offers a versatile solution with an array of additional capabilities. And by going with Garmin, your receiver will be backed by a comprehensive 1-year warranty — and by the industry’s No. 1-ranked product support team.