Federal aviation regulators are preparing to require most aircraft operating in U.S. civilian airspace to use technology that allows pilots to broadcast their location and detect nearby aircraft, a move aimed at reducing the risk of midair collisions following last year's deadly crash near Washington, D.C., The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

The Federal Aviation Administration is developing a mandate that would require nearly all aircraft in civilian airspace to use Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) systems capable of transmitting information such as an aircraft's location, direction and callsign, according to people familiar with the plans.

The proposal would also require aircraft to be equipped with ADS-B In technology, which allows pilots to receive position data from nearby aircraft and improve situational awareness in the cockpit.

Current FAA regulations generally require commercial aircraft to use ADS-B Out, which broadcasts an aircraft's location, but do not require ADS-B In.

According to people familiar with the matter, the new mandate is expected to expand ADS-B requirements to military and other aircraft operating in civilian airspace and cover additional portions of U.S. airspace, according to The Wall Street Journal. They cautioned that the proposal remains under development and its scope could change before it is finalized.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford has directed agency officials in recent weeks to draft the measure and explore ways to expedite its implementation by bypassing the lengthy public comment process typically associated with federal rulemaking, the people said.

"The FAA has always looked at, and will continue to look at, all opportunities to enhance the safety" of the nation's airspace, an FAA spokeswoman said. She added that the agency has not made a final decision on issuing an ADS-B mandate.

The proposal follows recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board after the Jan. 29, 2025, midair collision between a U.S. Army helicopter and an American Airlines regional jet near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft.

According to the NTSB, the Army helicopter was not broadcasting its position using ADS-B Out and was not apparently using ADS-B In when the collision occurred.

The American Airlines regional jet was transmitting its location through ADS-B Out while approaching the airport but was not equipped with ADS-B In technology.

The NTSB has recommended requiring ADS-B In for approximately two decades as a means of improving aviation safety, but the FAA has previously stopped short of mandating the technology, requiring only ADS-B Out for most aircraft operating in controlled airspace.

The issue has generated debate within the aviation industry and on Capitol Hill. The House and Senate have each advanced legislation proposing different approaches to implementing safety reforms after the Washington crash, but lawmakers have yet to reach agreement.

Industry groups have also differed over how broadly any mandate should apply and whether airlines should be required to retrofit existing aircraft with cockpit systems capable of receiving ADS-B data.

Industry officials estimate such retrofits could cost $50,000 or more per aircraft, although lower-cost alternatives that display ADS-B information on pilots' tablet computers are also available.

The FAA has said it is working to implement safety recommendations issued by the NTSB following its investigation into the Washington collision.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said this month that she was encouraged by the FAA's efforts, telling reporters that "there's lots of opportunity to act."