DLR moves virtual tower technology toward commercial use
Germany's aerospace research centre has handed a virtual tower prototype to a technology company for product development, with smaller and regional airfields seen as the main beneficiaries.
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is moving its virtual tower technology from research toward the market. Under an agreement reached in October, the technology company Quantom will take over further development of a prototype built at the DLR Institute of Flight Guidance and turn it into a commercially usable product, the centre said.
A virtual tower moves the workplace of a remote tower into a virtual environment. Air traffic controllers and flight information service staff use VR headsets for outside views, displays and control functions. A permanently installed workstation with extensive infrastructure is no longer strictly necessary.
Smaller and regional airfields in particular could benefit. Several could share resources and staff, or adjust operating hours more flexibly to actual demand. DLR said this could matter for time-critical organ and patient transport, rescue and emergency flights, civil protection transports, business and charter flights, or for diversion traffic when other airports are temporarily unavailable.
Product development by Quantom begins with the October technology transfer.
Sources
- aerotelegraph.comDLR bringt virtuellen Tower für kleinere Flughäfen in die Praxis