Launch of Digital Tower Test Centre by skeyes
skeyes has presented its latest innovation: the ‘Digital Tower Test Centre’ at their Steenokkerzeel site. This state-of-the-art centre acts as the prototype for the digital control centre currently being set up by skeyes and SOWAER (Société Wallonne des Aéroports) in Namur. This milestone marks a major step forward in the field of Air Traffic Management.
By 2026, air traffic at Charleroi and Liège airports, which are 100 km apart, will be remotely managed from a single digital control centre in Namur. This will ensure the operational safety of Walloon airports for the future. The integration of modern technologies into the system will make aviation even more reliable and safe.
Digital towers mean the future for air traffic control. Eventually, digital air traffic control centres will take over the role of traditional physical towers at airports.
Through masts equipped with high-quality cameras, infrared systems and intelligent sensors at the airports involved, air traffic controllers will receive the image projected in real time on large screens at those air traffic control centres. The screens display the horizon of their respective airport over the full 360°. A ground radar system also displays the exact location of aircraft even when they are hidden from the naked eye of controllers due to less favourable weather conditions. Augmented reality allows operators to project additional information at each aircraft which will help them manage traffic.
