Page 48 - ATC Special Bulletin Series - Remote and Digital Towers 2023-01

48 At two major Middle East hub airports, the Searidge Traffic Light Automation System (TLAS), a combination of high-definition airfield cameras and an advanced surface movement guidance system, monitors airfield vehicles and aircraft, and provide information to aid in the control of the airports’ service road traffic lights. The TLAS provides information to a central apron management facility and advises when it is not safe for vehicles to enter the apron and maneuvering areas. The Searidge TLAS uses advanced AI algorithms as part of Aimee to process the video information and provide traffic light state change suggestions to the lighting operators. The next generation TLAS will incorporate A-CDM and surveillance data to enhance the operational safety and efficiency of the lighting changes and the vehicle traffic. Airfield safety is also a major part of Aimee services at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport where the AI model monitors gate occupancy and automatically updates flight information displays through integration with the AODB. The first US facility to transition to virtual ramp control, the airport installed controller working positions with tower-like window views in the operational control centre to replace restricted views in the ramp control towers. Controllers now rely on high- definition video and thermal cameras to track aircraft in any kind of weather, day and night, and move them from gate to gate faster. Not only have incidents of wingtip collisions reduced, airfield efficiency has improved since deploying the digital infrastructure six years ago and the Searidge Platform has amassed years of data that informs further developments. Future applications of Aimee will extend the aircraft and vehicle recognition capabilities such that vehicles and events associated with aircraft turnaround processes, coupled with real-time and historical data analysis, will enable a more accurate prediction of schedule disruption. CONNECTING STAKEHOLDERS These projects illustrate a shift towards more collaborative and cohesive operations at busy airports, where access to common data not only tracks operations but predicts future performance. Searidge anticipates extending this connectivity to beyond current airport and air traffic control users to include landside applications such as emergency services and security. AI is an important part of this process by providing the right information, in the right way, at the right time, helping to manage higher traffic volume without over-extending controller workload. Digital transformation is not just about introducing new technologies or collecting different systems under one | SPECIAL BULLETIN SERIES | 2023 | |