Real-time processing of high-resolution video and 3D model-based tracking for remote towers

High quality video data is a core component in emerging remote tower operations as it inherently contains a huge amount of information on which an air traffic controller can base decisions. Various digital technologies also have the potential to exploit this data to bring enhancements, including tracking ground movements by relating events in the video view to their positions in 3D space. The total resolution of remote tower setups with multiple cameras often exceeds 25 million RGB pixels and is captured at 30 frames per second or more. It is thus a challenge to efficiently process all the data in such a way as to provide relevant real-time enhancements to the controller. In this paper we discuss how a number of improvements can be implemented efficiently on a single workstation by decoupling processes and utilizing hardware for parallel computing. We also highlight how decoupling the processes in this way increases resilience of the software solution in the sense that failure of a single component does not impair the function of the other components

Multiple remote tower for Single European Sky: The evolution from initial operational concept to regulatory approved implementation

The European Union project of Single European Sky initiated a reorganization of European airspace and proposed additional measures for air traffic management to achieve the key objectives of improving efficiency and capacity while at the same time enhancing safety. The concept of multiple remote tower operation is that air traffic controllers (ATCOs) can control several airfields from a distant virtual control centre. The control of multiple airfields can be centralised to a virtual centre permitting the more efficient use of ATCO resources. This research was sponsored by the Single European Sky ATM Research Program and the ATM Operations Division of the Irish Aviation Authority. A safety case was developed for migration of multiple remote tower services to live operations. This research conducted 50 large scale demonstration trials of remote tower operations from single tower operations to multiple tower operations for safety assessment by air navigation safety regulators in 2016. A dedicated team of air traffic controllers and technology experts successfully completed the safety assessment of multiple remote tower operations in real time. The implementation of this innovative technology requires a careful balance between cost-efficiency and the safety of the air traffic control in terms of capacity and human performance. The live trial exercises demonstrated that the air traffic services provided by the remote tower for a single airport and two medium airports by a single ATCO with ‘in sequence’ and ‘simultaneous’ aircraft operation was at least as safe as provided by the local towers at Cork and Shannon aerodromes. No safety occurrence was reported nor did any operational safety issue arise during the conduct of the fifty live trial exercises

Remote Airport Traffic Control Center (2008 - 2012) Final Presentation and Workshop - Extended Abstracts

The present report contains the extended and revised version of the abstracts collection of the presentations given at the final international workshop of the DLR-project RAiCe (Remote Airport traffic Control Center, 2008 - 2012), held on November 30 2012 in Braunschweig. The RaiCe presentations are complemented by two external contributions,from the Swedish ANSP LFV and company Frequentis, representing the industrial perspective on Remote Tower research and development. The RaiCe workshop was a satellite event of the Second SESAR Innovation Days (SID 2012, Nov. 27-29) which was held in Braunschweig, following the first one in Toulouse 2011. One of the RaiCe validation results papers was presented at SID2012 and is also included in the present report for com-pleteness, besides inclusion in the SID2012 proceedings. In addition to the collection of extended abstracts and an introduction, besides some general refer-ences a list of the publications of the DLR Remote Tower Group (time frame 2002 – 2012) is provid-ed. A list of the workshop participants is added as part of the Appendix

Modelling a cell tower using SFM: automated detection of structural elements from skeleton extraction on a point cloud

The surveying and management of telecommunication towers poses a series of engineering challenges. Not only they must be regularly inspected for the purpose of checking for issues that require maintenance interventions, but they are often sub-let by their owners to communication companies, requiring a survey of the many (several thousand per company) installed appliances to check that they respect the established contracts. This requires a surveying methodology that is fast and possibly automated. Photogrammetric techniques using UAV-mounted cameras seem to offer a solution that is both suitable and economical. Our research team was asked to evaluate whether, from the information acquired by small drones it was possible to obtain geometric information on the structure, with what degree of accuracy and what level of detail. The workflow of this process is naturally articulated in three steps: the acquisition, the construction of the point cloud, and the extraction of geometries. The case study is a tower carrying antennas owned by several operators and placed in the industrial district of Cagliari. The article examines the problems found in modelling such structures using point clouds derived from the Structure-from-Motion technique, in order to obtain a model of nodes and beams suitable for the reconstruction of the structure's geometric elements, and possibly for a finite elements analysis or for populating GIS and BIM, either automatically or with minimal user intervention. In order to achieve this, we have used voxelization and skeleton extraction algorithms to obtain a 3D graph of the structure. The analysis of the results was carried out by varying the parameters relating to the voxel size, which defines the resolution, and the density of the points contained inside each voxel

Evaluating applications of the unmanned aerial system in construction project management

Using unmanned aerial vehicle systems (UAS) or drones in project management (PM) is a novel methodology aimed at enhancing the performance of the PM system. This technology is still in its infancy, and some serious progress is required to cover and advance in this field. UAS is used in various applications ranging from site mapping, surveying, traffic surveillance, bushfire monitoring and aerial photography. Despite the multiple functions offered by UAS, which are well covered in various sources, industry practitioners still have little confidence and knowledge on this technology. The value of the data collected using UAS technology is still poorly utilised and understood. This project aims to explore areas in PM that can be enhanced while using UAS and understand the added value of adopting this new technology. This research will utilise Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) with high- definition (HD) cameras to collect real time imageries of construction sites. The collected data, with the aid of a photogrammetric software Pix4D, is used to develop a detailed UAS system to determine the accuracy of performed work, the generation of the corresponding progress payment reports, and referencing and tracking information in real time for a residential project. This study also discusses combining the UAS and 5D Building Information Modelling (BIM) data to develop smart construction sites. The UAS–BIM combination enables the project stakeholders to be fully informed of the work’s progress and quality to prevent mistakes that could lead to additional costs and delays. The paper identified the primary obstacles to applying the UAS via interviews with the project managers and tradespersons involved in the selected project. Assuredly, digital culture is essential for an intelligent construction site to shift the project team from a passive data user to a more proactive analyser to improve performance and site safety. This research is aimed at building a holistic digital system which will be applied and utilised in Construction Project Management (CPM) fields to improve the performance of site management and the quality of work performed. Other obstacles include ethical reservations, legal requirements, liability risks, weather conditions and the continuation of using a UAS in non-open-air construction environments

Small UAS Detect and Avoid Requirements Necessary for Limited Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) Operations

Potential small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operational scenarios/use cases and Detect And Avoid (DAA) approaches were collected through a number of industry wide data calls. Every 333 Exemption holder was solicited for this same information. Summary information from more than 5,000 exemption holders is documented, and the information received had varied level of detail but has given relevant experiential information to generalize use cases. A plan was developed and testing completed to assess Radio Line Of Sight (RLOS), a potential key limiting factors for safe BVLOS ops. Details of the equipment used, flight test area, test payload, and fixtures for testing at different altitudes is presented and the resulting comparison of a simplified mathematical model, an online modeling tool, and flight data are provided. An Operational Framework that defines the environment, conditions, constraints, and limitations under which the recommended requirements will enable sUAS operations BVLOS is presented. The framework includes strategies that can build upon Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and industry actions that should result in an increase in BVLOS flights in the near term. Evaluating approaches to sUAS DAA was accomplished through five subtasks: literature review of pilot and ground observer see and avoid performance, survey of DAA criteria and recommended baseline performance, survey of existing/developing DAA technologies and performance, assessment of risks of selected DAA approaches, and flight testing. Pilot and ground observer see and avoid performance were evaluated through a literature review. Development of DAA criteria—the emphasis here being well clear— was accomplished through working with the Science And Research Panel (SARP) and through simulations of manned and unmanned aircraft interactions. Information regarding sUAS DAA approaches was collected through a literature review, requests for information, and direct interactions. These were analyzed through delineation of system type and definition of metrics and metric values. Risks associated with sUAS DAA systems were assessed by focusing on the Safety Risk Management (SRM) pillar of the SMS (Safety Management System) process. This effort (1) identified hazards related to the operation of sUAS in BVLOS, (2) offered a preliminary risk assessment considering existing controls, and (3) recommended additional controls and mitigations to further reduce risk to the lowest practical level. Finally, flight tests were conducted to collect preliminary data regarding well clear and DAA system hazards

Design and Development of a Research Framework for Prototyping Control Tower Augmented Reality Tools

The purpose of the air traffic management system is to ensure the safe and efficient flow of air traffic. Therefore, while augmenting efficiency, throughput and capacity in airport operations, attention has rightly been placed on doing it in a safe manner. In the control tower, many advances in operational safety have come in the form of visualization tools for tower controllers. However, there is a paradox in developing such systems to increase controllers' situational awareness: by creating additional computer displays, the controller's vision is pulled away from the outside view and the time spent looking down at the monitors is increased. This reduces their situational awareness by forcing them to mentally and physically switch between the head-down equipment and the outside view. This research is based on the idea that augmented reality may be able to address this issue. The augmented reality concept has become increasingly popular over the past decade and is being proficiently used in many fields, such as entertainment, cultural heritage, aviation, military & defense. This know-how could be transferred to air traffic control with a relatively low effort and substantial benefits for controllers’ situation awareness. Research on this topic is consistent with SESAR objectives of increasing air traffic controllers’ situation awareness and enable up to 10 % of additional flights at congested airports while still increasing safety and efficiency. During the Ph.D., a research framework for prototyping augmented reality tools was set up. This framework consists of methodological tools for designing the augmented reality overlays, as well as of hardware and software equipment to test them. Several overlays have been designed and implemented in a simulated tower environment, which is a virtual reconstruction of Bologna airport control tower. The positive impact of such tools was preliminary assessed by means of the proposed methodology