Background:

The 12th ICAO Air Navigation Conference (held in November 2012) approved the Global Air Navigation plan for 2013 – 2028 (Doc 9750-AN/963). This plan realizes the Global concept of ATM exploitation (ICAO Doc 9854) on the base of aviation system’s block modernization (Aviation System Block Upgrades - ASBU).

The concept ASBU sets forth the strategic direction for modernization of air navigation and assists the competent authorities, operators and industry in developing of positive technical and economic models. ASBU covers specific equipment, graphics, standards and procedures which are necessary for implementation.

The module ASBU B1-81 (Remotely controlled airdrome control stations) considers safe and reliable ATM service provided from a remote object adjacent to one or several airdromes where local ATM systems are at the end of their resources or are not reliable, but where the aviation allows to receive economic and social benefits.

The technologies of remotely controlled airdrome control stations are essential for the countries with wide territory, therefore it’s obvious that such technologies should be developed in Russia. IANS specialists dedicate themselves to the development of this sphere.

The technology of a remotely operated airdrome control station

• application of technologies of surveillance cameras and displays which create a single plain visual view ensuring a high quality level necessary for safe and efficient air traffic management;
• radar and non-oriented surveillance technologies such as the technologies applied during A-SMGCS, level 1;
• data integration from different sources (e.g. surveillance data, satellite 3D data) used to provide a consistent airport model, its surroundings and air traffic at the airport. That allows ATM/FIS controllers to provide services in real time;
• CWP and HMI technologies used to create an interaction method with the systems of remote control tower and work stations in general.

Automated Multisensory Surveillance System

Automated Multisensory Surveillance System is designed to automate remote independent surveillance (monitoring) of the maneuvering area traffic and aircraft during take-off and landing operations, including in low visibility conditions.

Key Features:

• Integrated control of airdrome traffic, including take-off and landing areas, based on the integration of data from radar, optical, and infrared sources.
• Visual traffic surveillance on the runways, taxiways, apron, remote and beyond line-of-sight areas from the control tower.
• Detection, tracking, classification of the objects on the runways, taxiways, and apron, as well as aircraft during takeoff and landing operations.
• Aircraft identification through complex processing of the information available at the airport (SSR, ADS-B/1090ES).
• Automatic detection of unauthorized incursion on the runways, taxiways and other areas.
• Data processing in all weather and lighting conditions.
• Display of the monitoring results in readable formats: panoramic Out-the-Window view, aerodrome plan (2D), synthetic vision (3D).
• Adapted HMI for automated workstations of FCO, take-off and taxiing controllers, that provides:
• visualization of the airdrome traffic as aircraft and vehicle tracks on the airport scheme;
• TV image of current traffic situation on the entire runway, major and adjacent taxiways, including remote and beyond line-of-sight areas;
• enlarged image generated by PTZ cameras for quickly selected sectors (holding position, line up, etc.);
• display of an individual aircraft tracked by PTZ cameras at the final stage till landing and during the taxiing;
• combined IR and TV image of objects in reduced visibility conditions;
• IR image of the objects in night-time conditions.
• Objective control based on the video and radar data recording.

The complex consists of:

Surveillance system:

• high resolution cameras with a fixed angle location and a wade field of view used to provide a panoramic view of an airport and airspace within takeoff/landing areas;
• TV and infrared cameras with a managed angular position of a vision line and an optical zoom for a detailed monitoring of a chosen area;
• cameras with a fixed angular position used to control blank areas from a control tower;
• airfield surveillance radars.

Data transmission system:

• data link is organized via Internet;
• minimum requirements for the datalink are 20 Mbits/sec

System of surveillance results’ processing and displaying:

• panoramic display;
• video surveillance monitors used to observe blind areas;
• functional software for processing and displaying of results.

Radar Observation Features:

RMS deviation of object positioning:

• on the runway and taxiway - 6 m
• on the apron - 20 m

Video Surveillance Features

In the panoramic TV mode (in the daytime, for meteorological visibility not less than 5 km) an object, depending on the type, is detected at a distance of:

• human: up to 1,5 km;
• vehicle: up to 3 km;
• light airplane: up to 4 km.

In the integrated TV+IR mode (round-the-clock) an object is detected at a distance of:

• human: up to 2 km;
• vehicle: up to 4 km;
• light airplane: up to 5 km.

Advantages:

• Integrated solutions for ground traffic monitoring based on the integrated data from various (radar, optical, infrared) sources.
• Additional solution to the problem of visual surveillance of the runways, taxiways, apron, remote and beyond line-of-sight areas from the control tower.
• Provision of information on any obstacles and objects moving (not only equipped aircraft or vehicles).
• Elimination of additional control stations and transition to the ATM from a single ACT.
• Display of monitoring data on personal workstations of the controllers; the use of integrated airport traffic surveillance and control systems (such as "Vega") or integrated ATC systems (like "Synthesis") is no more required.
• Alternative to ACT reconstruction (instead of increasing the height or relocation of the tower) or building a new control tower at the opening of a runway .
• Possibility to implement the concept of remote ATM for small airfields and heliports. Reduction of personnel costs in case of transition to the remote ACT system.