LYYN has participated in a joint, EU financed, project with SAAB Security and others to add advanced functionality to the SAAB Security concept “Remotely Operated Tower”. The project was called “Advanced Remote Tower (ART)”.

The SAAB security Remotely Operated Tower (ROT) is a breakthrough for airport operators and could be just what small and medium sized airports need to survive.

General

The remotely operated tower concept addresses many of the issues airport operators are concerned with, such as cost-effectiveness, safety, and punctuality. More than a few airports today suffer from a harsh economic situation and for some, the remotely operated tower could mean the difference between survival and closure.

Cost savings

The cost running small and medium sized towers consists to a large extent of staff expenditures. With the remotely operated tower concept, fewer employees will be needed to provide aerodrome control service, enabling airports that today only offer aerodrome flight information service to offer control service as well. In a next phase, one controller could potentially provide aerodrome control service for two to three towers simultaneously.

Apart from staffing, costs savings can be made by not having to replace existing towers that have reached their economical life length.

Technique

Remotely Operated Tower concept

The technical solution is to operate an airport tower remotely via the digital network.

Compressed data from cameras at the airport presents a 360-degree real time view of the airport at the Remote Tower Centre (RTC).

The controller working position is fitted with the same controls as in a normal tower.

Enhanced safety and punctuality

Remote Tower Centre with LYYN enhanced view

During low visibility, the controller in a regular tower may not be able to see the traffic at all. This can have an impact on safety and may cause delays. Visibility enhancement technology, provided by LYYN in the ART project, helps the controller see what is going on in the aerodrome area during low visibility conditions.

Overlay of labels, MET info and a virtual computer generated background view will further improve the information available for the controller. By increasing the controller’s situational awareness, safety is improved.

Recording of the camera generated view allows play back of traffic situations, useful during incident investigations, and this further enhances the concept’s safety benefits.

Remote Tower Centre with LYYN enhanced overlay

Low visibility procedures, often causing delays, will be less and less necessary and punctuality will be improved.