Published on : Monday, January 28, 2019
The technology involves the use of ultra high-definition 4K cameras, AI and machine learning technology and is run by air traffic management service NATS.
At 87 m, Heathrow has the highest airport control tower in the UK, because of which it can be surrounded by low clouds. This technology is expected to revolutionize how air traffic is managed at airports around the world.
At present, the controllers rely on radar to know if an arriving aircraft has cleared the runway. It requires extra time between each landing, resulting in a 20 per cent loss of arrivals capacity, and subsequent delays.
NATS has deployed 20 ultra high-definition cameras at the airfield, which feed their footage into an AI system which is learning to interpret the images and track aircraft.
The technology will be particularly useful at night, as the highly sensitive cameras will enable controllers to see the airfield as if it was dusk and not complete darkness.
As per NATS, the system will help the airport reclaim all the lost capacity from the tower being in low visibility. The trial is part of a 2.5 million pound investment by NATS in a digital tower laboratory located inside Heathrow’s tower.
Tags: artificial intelligence, Heathrow, nats