Digital Towers - A Revolutionary Technology

An Introduction to Digital Towers

Distance is no longer a factor in air traffic management today. Not long ago, air traffic controllers scanned airport runways from towers using only binoculars. The idea that a controller in a centre located thousands of kilometers away could manage an airport's air traffic was just a fantasy. However, digitalization has been revolutionizing air traffic management over the past 15 years, making remote vision control a reality. At a time when the industry is struggling to recruit air traffic controllers especially for smaller airports, this technology is a God send.

Digital towers enable the remote use of air traffic services from any location, be it at an airstrip, air base or a centralized location. These towers can be integrated with traditional towers as a hybrid solution and can use the same information to support ramp and apron management.

Using digital camera technology and sensors, operators can effectively conduct and manage various services based on visual surveillance remotely. It eliminates the need to be present on-site, freeing up critical space.

It all started in 2014. The world’s first remotely operated tower was inaugurated to control an airport located 150 kilometers away. This technology gave air traffic controllers instant control. State-of-the-art cameras capture images of airports which are displayed on specific screens using augmented reality and AI, providing them more vision than the naked eye could capture. This consequently improves air safety across various airports.

Benefits of Implementing Digital Towers

These digital towers can provide socio-economic benefits for various stakeholders and enable air traffic and navigation providers to enhance their services in a cost-efficient manner while maintaining safety standards. It can improve operator performance, service delivery, and availability, ensuring continuity of services in the aviation sector. Airports require a flexible and reliable solution that can effectively operate within the global air traffic network, and digital towers are providing these features. By delivering operational improvements, enhancing resilience, and providing significant cost savings, this technology is revolutionizing the provision of air traffic management services.

Traditional towers are costly to maintain, upgrade, and replace, especially in terms of cyber resilience, as they rely on disparate systems and multiple suppliers. Digital towers offer a solution to this problem by enabling quick adaptation and updates to meet evolving operational requirements and address new threats. 

Digital towers also cater to the demands of new business models and facilitate the adoption of emerging technologies.

Incorporating digital towers requires careful consideration of various factors, such as business needs, potential advantages, and related hazards, while also ensuring that the aviation ecosystem and its personnel are adequately prepared for the future. Achieving this balance is crucial for the successful transition to using digital towers.

The integration of cameras and motion tracking technology improves safety, security, and situational awareness in low visibility conditions. Additionally, the offsite location provides a crucial benefit for business continuity. The system is flexible, scalable, and adaptable to airport changes, offering greater efficiency and reduced upfront, infrastructure, and maintenance costs. Lastly, the system enables the consolidation of resources from multiple airports at a single location.

Current Challenges of Employing Digital Towers 

The primary challenge in implementing digital towers is integrating new technology with existing air traffic control systems. The operational concept undergoes significant changes. Staff must be trained to adapt to these operational changes and must learn to trust the process. Now the technology can accommodate only small airports and aerodromes and is not yet ready to help control air traffic in complex and busy airports.

Visual Requirements for a Tower

The visual performance requirement of a digital solution depends on the operational context depending on the aerodrome type, and the scope of its services. The requirements are unique for each digital tower solution. The air traffic service provider defines the specific area of interest, which is addressed using the optical system.

“Digital towers enable the remote use of air traffic services from any location, be it at an airstrip, air base or a centralized location.”

The main asset of digital towers is the mast which is designed to fit the layout of the airport. Located above the mast are the cameras, which in our case, account for 14 highly advanced cameras.

Training Staff on the Technology

We have converted the lead time constraint for constructing the remote control tower building into an opportunity to gain knowledge and expertise on the technology prior to its operational deployment. To achieve this, we are investing in a simulator, a training module, and an experience centre development platform. The simulator offers a realistic view to the controllers and facilitates change management by raising awareness and understanding of the technology before implementing the final solution. With the test and development module, we can test various positions and economical building layouts before finalizing the solution and defining an accurate operating model. This also provides a good starting point for system architecture work and technical integration.

The transition plan also includes a cyber assessment, as digital solutions are prone to vulnerabilities. Building an architectural framework as part of the plan also helps in futureproofing the technology. It incorporates value systems, network and communication, and surveillance, delivering a clear set of key components and corresponding interactions at a system and sub-system level. 

This pioneering technology is based on a modular architecture, making it flexible to upgrade depending on the user's needs. The aviation sector is evolving with new elements like drone detection. Advanced air mobility vehicles, the adoption of AI, augmented reality and the integration of sensors are all vital parts of developing these digital towers.

A Piece of Advice for Users Looking to Implement this Technology

Technology partly plays the role; the rest depends on the air traffic controllers and their skill in managing the migration. Early adoption and involvement can fuel the success of implementing digital towers.