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FREQUENTIS DFS AEROSENSE

Increasing safety and productivity

FREQUENTIS DFS AEROSENSE is increasing safety and productivity of aerodrome ATC operations through digitalisation and virtualisation. Advanced video processing leveraging artificial intelligence and deep learning makes airports of any size smarter.

Globally trusted partner for Airports and ANSPs

FREQUENTIS DFS AEROSENSE is the worldwide trusted partner providing turnkey advanced remote sensing solutions for ATC combining Virtual Tower systems from Frequentis with proven operational and regulatory concepts from DFS.

RETHINKING ATC TOWERS

ANSPs and airport operators around the world are facing increasing pressure from airlines and competition in tower air traffic control (ATC) markets. Remote Virtual Tower technologies help to leverage shared assets, improve operations and explore new concepts of operations.

AEROSENSE Remote Virtual Tower Solutions are tested and used at airports with complex ATC operations, safely managing IFR and VFR operations on site or from a remote location. Advanced video processing leveraging artificial intelligence makes airports of any size smarter.

Every airport is different. Therefore our solution provides flexible functionality to improve operations and support individual business models. It consists of airport equipment, sensors, a remote tower centre and network functionality.

USE CASE: ADVANCED REMOTE TOWER

Remote Virtual Tower for small and medium capacity airports replicates the visual view at airports, enabling ANSPs to provide air traffic control and information services from a remote location with new enhancement tools such as aircraft and object detection and tracking, information augmentation, to safely manage single or multiple airports from remote.

The German ANSP DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung was one of the first to recognise the opportunities offered by remote tower control. Frequentis and DFS have developed an advanced solution for three international airports in Germany: Saarbrücken, Erfurt and Dresden. 360° visual and IR cameras provide a seamless panorama view, supported by high performance PTZ cameras with visual and IR sensors. Advanced video tracking allows detection and marking of IFR and VFR flights and vehicles. Surveillance information increases situational awareness.

USE CASE: CONTINGENCY AND DIGITAL TOWER

Remote Virtual Tower technology can also be used to add new functionality for regular tower operations. Smart binoculars, view enhancement based on infrared camera technology, and intelligent alerting functions enhance airport operations, especially at night or in adverse weather. It gives operators a full airport view, as well as flexibility in times of increased traffic flow. Tower operations can be remoted to a contingency centre to ensure continued full capacity operations in case of incidents.

 

 

USE CASE: VISION ENHANCEMENT

Remote Virtual Tower provides an additional set of eyes, thus allowing video-based airport apron control, providing a large-scale video panorama, blind spot coverage, position information, augmented information about aircraft status and airport security protection through alerts and automated tracking with zoom / close-up / PTZ cameras for improved apron management and airport perimeter security.

Vienna Airport deploys a video-based surveillance solution for apron management at the largest airport in Austria. With about 220,000 movements per year, Vienna Airport is an important hub for Central and Eastern Europe. Controllers are provided with an ultra-high resolution panorama using advanced stitching algorithms and individually controllable PTZ cameras. This collaboration will work to improve video-based surveillance and safety-nets and provide essential contributions to European research projects.

THE AEROSENSE SOLUTION

With decades of experience providing ATM solutions and services, the company offers a range of products and services which are tested and proven. Built upon a scalable and modular ATM-grade IT platform complemented with ATC consulting services, FREQUENTIS DFS AEROSENSE is able to offer everything needed for the efficient deployment and operation of remote towers, including cameras, video processing and the full range of proven communication and automation products, trusted by air traffic controllers around the world.

01/Advanced vision for ATC

The basis for remote vision is the additional set of cameras and sensors installed at the airport. FREQUENTIS DFS AEROSENSE offers a a wide range of cameras using leading providers, from basic cameras operating in the visual spectrum, to seamless 360° cooled infrared for best dynamic range as as well as modular pan-tilt-zoom cameras. What makes the difference is the best and fastest image processing technologies enhancing the video feed with critical information such as object bounding or radar labels.

 

02/Flexible, scalable remote tower centre

All this is far to the remote tower centre, where air traffic controllers work the traffic from one of multiple controller working positions. The design of the remote tower centre is essential for the efficiency of operations. While large, video-screen-based solutions might fit contingency operations where multiple air traffic controllers serve one airport, a more compact version provides benefits to both controllers in terms of usability and space requirements in most other use cases.

 

03/Intelligent networking

This is all connected with a reliable, robust and secure network. Advanced network intelligence ensures continuous performance and service performance thereby balancing performance and network costs.

 

04/Turnkey services from concept to go-live

Cutting-edge technology is only a part of what is needed for a successful remote tower project. Equally important is an operational concept which is based on clear and concise captured customer needs and a sound business case. The right solution depends on the envisioned concept of operations (CONOPS), while the actual implementation and transition has many challenges to solve, such as training and operational cutover.

The company provides a regulator-proven path to approval and go-live. Holistic consulting, a safety assessment methodology developed by DFS, and reliable regulatory management ensures that the solution becomes locally certified and can be used for service delivery.

As a leading and recognized ANSP, Deutsche Flugsicherung (DFS) as co-owner of FREQUENTIS DFS AEROSENSE, has the perfect experience to support any kind of remote and virtual tower project across the globe, from video-based airport surveillance, to remote towers for small or complex airports to advanced vision systems for digital towers.

 

TECHNOLOGY AND RESEARCH

Frequentis builds upon cutting edge technology to deliver the required capabilities for ATC and beyond. Intelligent, advanced vision with innovative approaches across the whole visual surveillance chain provide the controller with an optimal user experience, ensuring situational awareness. Making new technologies ATM-grade is essential to enable innovation in safety-critical environments.

Intelligent Video Processing

A seamless, harmonized panorama view of the aerodrome is essential for safe ATC operations. Air traffic controllers have the highest demands to an accurate and timely representation of the real environment. While standard CCTV-based systems rely on a direct connection between camera and screen, the Frequentis solution uses intelligent algorithms to process the panorama view in real-time. Advanced stitching algorithms harmonize panorama picture and ensure a balanced view. High-dynamic range filters provide optimal visibility also in challenging light conditions, adapting contrast levels dynamically. Object bounding and automatic tracking helps the controllers to focus on ATC operations.

Artificial Intelligence

Machine intelligence such as artificial intelligence or deep learning revolutionise a variety of sectors today. Advances in processing power and increased availability of tested and proven toolkits make machine intelligence a commodity for many products. Machine intelligence will pave the way towards understanding details and context of a remote virtual tower, enabling a multitude of new use cases and applications, which enhance situational awareness and safety of operations. Frequentis is investing in research and partners with renowned organisations such as the Austrian Institute of Technology to further machine intelligence for remote towers.

Multi-remote Tower (SESAR)

Multi-remote tower ATC operations builds on the concept of controlling air traffic at multiple airports from one controller working position. Frequentis and DFS are part of the SESEAR PJ05 Remote Tower project with the aim to research the operational and technical aspects for multi-remote tower operations, where it already provided a number of "industry-firsts": "SESAR scores another "first" in remote towers". Follow the recent developments here: link

FURTHER INFORMATION AND DOWNLOADS

White Paper, Solution Brief and Case Studies
Solution Brief - Remote Virtual Towers
White Paper Remote Tower
Case Study - Ports of Jersey

ADVANCED REMOTE SENSING FOR ATC AROUND THE WORLD

FREQUENTIS DFS AEROSENSE GmbH

Innovationsstrasse 1

1100 Vienna, Austria

 

Phone : +43 1 81150

Email : office@aerosense.solutions

Imprint and Legal Information

Company Register: FN500731w
Commercial Court Vienna
VAT ID: ATU73873016
Managing Directors: Pierre Hermann, Christian Weiss