Mälardalen University’s (MDU) groundbreaking discoveries in new technologies are changing the aviation sector forever. An innovative initiative is developing a technology that will allow the monitoring and operation of remote airport runways using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
A new AI-solution from MDU can lead to a higher degree of automation in air traffic control services that guarantees safe landing 24 hours a day, even at the most remote airports in the world. Image Credit: Pixabay
Reliable artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for Remote Digital Towers (RDTs), or just AI-controlled assistants, are the solution that is being developed. These RDTs are specialized in surveillance and risk identification on runways, and they can monitor remote traffic flow and capacity management for airports. They have the ability to recognize and alert travelers of potential dangers, including human encroachment on and around the runways, birds, drones, and other aircraft obstructions.
The AI system monitors and offers an image of the present conditions on runways, even at remote airfields on remote islands or in inaccessible places throughout the world, using a mix of local sensors and advanced video surveillance. The technology can alert users to potential hazards and issues during approach and landing.
The developed AI solution will help increase the level of trust in AI systems through adaptive transparency and facilitate air traffic control services in places where human presence around the clock is a challenge.
Mobyen Uddin Ahmed, Professor, Artificial Intelligence, Mälardalen University
The Prototype will be Rigorously Tested
The goal of the project, named TRUSTY (Trustworthy intelligent system for remote digital towers), is to increase the trustworthiness of AI-powered systems in the context of RDTs by bringing clarity to the process of how and why an AI system can make decisions.
The project will soon be developing a reliable AI system prototype that will be able to explain their decision-making process in plain and understandable terms and be transparent. The prototype will undergo extensive testing in real-world scenarios to ensure that it satisfies the demands of important user groups while also being safe.
The solution can lead to a higher degree of automation in air traffic control services that guarantees safe landing 24 hours a day, even at the most remote airports in the world.
Shahina Begum, Professor, Artificial Intelligence, Mälardalen University
The project is being carried out in partnership with the Ecole Nationale de l’Aviation Civile, France; Deep Blue Srl; and Università di Roma “La Sapienza,” Italy, and is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2022 research and innovation program. Project coordination is done by MDU.