Video Demostration: Thales extends widely deployed ATC automation system to enter Remote Tower Market

Last month in Madrid ATC Network visited the Thales stand where we filmed a demonstration of Thales’ Remote Tower capability. Thales launched Remote Tower as an extension of their TopSky - ATC automation system. 140 air traffic control centres around the world use the system to support tower, approach, en route and oceanic services. Thales view the capability to support remote tower applications as a natural and easy progression of this system.

Thales enters the Remote Tower market in collaboration with Searidge and Hungarocontrol. The Remote Tower capability will be provided by integrating the Thales TopSky ATC system and Searidge's video server.

Thales’s remote tower offering provides increased situational awareness through a combination of sensors and cameras, enabling remote air traffic management at a reduced cost, without an impact to safety or availability.

The offering is specifically designed for the provision of services to locations that were not previously economically viable, such as low volume airports, long periods of low traffic levels such as nighttime operations or airports with high seasonality impact. It can also be deployed for dangerous or unpopular sites like active military theatres. The offering is also perfectly suited as a business continuity and disaster contingency support in case the primary tower suffers a catastrophic failure, and where the ability to support increased operations while maintaining existing staff levels is desirable.

In the video Jérôme Fichez, Remote Control Tower Team Member, demonstrates the functionalities of the system.