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Comment by Someone1234 | Hacker News Reader

An ADSB transponder, along with supporting electronics and battery will add to the weight of the aircraft. It makes it safer in one way, and less safe is another. This isn't quite the "slam dunk" you seem to believe.

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Weather balloons already have restrictions on weight to minimize the consequences of collisions. The issue is that even if you can add a transmitter and meet the weight requirements, it's currently not possible to legally broadcast ADS-B data from a weather balloon.

They would need to increase the weight requirements if they're to add ADSB. Current ADSB transponders weigh as much as the entire weather balloon's package. Then add on the pounds of weight for batteries.

The uAvionix ping200X weighs 50 grams according to its datasheet.[1] With a 1.5W continuous power draw, a 60 gram lithium battery would power it for 8 hours, for a total of 110 grams. WindBorne balloons weigh 1.1kg at launch (including ballast), and the FAA limit for such balloons is 2kg.

1. https://uavionix.com/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2025/07/...

The balloons likely already have batteries and GPS receivers. An extra radio and antenna would add a few grams of weight and tens of mW of power consumption. That could be well under one percent more weight.

It's much, much lighter than a radar reflector, which aircraft weather radar displays aren't even designed to display.

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