Saab and AVINOR to Conduct Remote Tower Trials and Validation Through SESAR

Remote tower technology allows air traffic at one or more remote airports to be managed and controlled from a larger air traffic services center at another location.

For this trial, AVINOR's staff at Bodo Center will remotely control operations at the heliport located at Vaeroy Airport. The technology and operation will be validated through the SESAR (Single European Sky ATM Research) program.

Avinor is looking forward to validating the "operational concept" for AFIS (Aerodrome Flight Information Service) with Remote Tower technology. This is an innovative project that has a big potential to bring new concepts to the industry.

"The r-TWR (remote tower) concept is designed to enable the safe, efficient operation of remote airports from a single air traffic control facility. This is an important step for our remote tower solution as we'll be further demonstrating the concept in a challenging operating environment," says Ken Kaminski, vice president and general manager of Saab Sensis.

The r-TWR product uses digital cameras and other sensors to provide an air traffic service facility with the situational awareness needed to remotely conduct operations. The technology is currently being tested in Australia and is undergoing the certification process in Sweden at two locations.