25 million pounds for a high-tech solution for the third Heathrow runway | Business

The technology tested by air traffic controllers at Heathrow could mean that the third runway will be built without a new control tower, the airport announced.

A "digital tower laboratory" with several ultra-high definition cameras and artificial intelligence to monitor the aircraft was built at the base of the existing Heathrow tower.

The developers hope this will help human controllers to land more planes during periods of poor visibility, the most common factor of disturbances at Heathrow.

Heathrow said the lab, which displays a 180-degree live view of the airport from 20 zoomable cameras on a nine-screen panorama, could also demonstrate that there would not be need a second round. An additional tower was part of the infrastructure included in Heathrow's initial 17 billion euro expansion plan, but the airport is trying to cut the budget.

This technology will allow air traffic controllers to land at normal intervals when the 87 meter high control tower is shrouded in fog or low clouds – which usually leaves them reliant on radar and slows traffic. A delay of 15 to 20 seconds per flight in the busiest airport in the world reduces its capacity by 20%, according to the Air Traffic Management Service, Nats.

Nats hopes that the system, including artificial intelligence software to identify aircraft and monitor their departure from the runway, can be certified by the aviation safety authorities in a few months.

Andy Taylor, solutions manager at Nats, said the technology could "revolutionize air traffic management at airports around the world." He added, "We are at the limit of human performance and we need technology to move us forward." Controllers will be able to "handle more complexity and difficult situations – and more planes".

He said there was no question of replacing human controllers: "It's a man and a machine working in harmony."

Taylor said Nats was improving the emergency facility – located away from the airport – so that it could operate at the same level as the control tower. Nats is also testing a remote installation for London City Airport using similar live streams and augmented reality.

Kathryn Leahy, Director of Operations at Heathrow, said, "We are excited to host this technology – we need to be even more resilient. We normally have 10 to 12 days a year here when the tower is in a cloud and we have to increase the spacing. In the summer this could be a busy day. "

She added, "If the technology works, we may not have to build a second tower to see the third runway. We will really test the capacity. The current plans provide for the safeguarding of land.

Nats and Canadian software developer Searidge plan to conduct operational testing of a similar system at Changi Airport in Singapore later this month.