Purdue Polytechnic Institute has unveiled a solar-powered, simplified light system that it says will automatically indicate runway status to pilots, pedestrians, and vehicle operators, thus helping them prevent runway incursions.
The system called Simple, Affordable, Flexible and Expandable Runway Status Lights—or SAFE-RWSL—uses automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data and computer vision to activate runway lights in real time.
SAFE-RWSL was developed by John Mott, a professor, and Luigi Dy, a doctoral student at Purdue’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology. Purdue’s Office of Technology Commercialization has applied for a patent to protect the intellectual property.
The prototype SAFE-RWSL system was tested at Purdue University Airport (KLAF), which is utilized by airlines, military, and general aviation. According to Airnav.com the airport sits in Class D airspace in West Lafayette, Indiana, and features two intersecting runways.
According to Purdue, Mott and Dy evaluated the effectiveness of SAFE-RWSL’s ADS-B component by observing 123 aircraft operations and comparing them to detections.
“The system accurately detected 94 percent of aircraft, including all operations involving ADS-B-transmitting aircraft,” Dy said in a statement. “It also sufficiently provided timely runway status information despite being in airspace where ADS-B is not required. Based on the performed study, the use of simplified runway status lights is expected to be effective at reducing runway incursion risk in nontowered, no-traffic environments when a conflicting aircraft is difficult to see.”
Mott and Dy have also conducted economic feasibility projections on the system.
Radar-based detection systems in use at larger airports cost tens of millions of dollars to install because they require infrastructure, such as specialized electrical systems, pavement reconstruction, and/or additional equipment installed in aircraft and vehicles, Mott said.
“Small airports generally rely on simple ‘see-and-avoid’ procedures or, in limited cases, air traffic controllers to prevent these incursions,” Mott said. “Without a comprehensive approach that incorporates technology, however, even the most vigilant pilots and air traffic controllers, if available, can’t prevent all potential accidents resulting from encroachments on an active runway by pedestrians, ground vehicles or other aircraft.”
Added Dy: “ADS-B technology is already mandated for aircraft in most types of U.S. airspace, making it widely available. As a result, the SAFE-RWSL system is a low-cost, easy-to-integrate option for airports of varying capacities to improve runway safety and reduce risks of incursions.”
The research will be presented on January 8 at the 2025 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., during a session titled, “Managing the Safety Impact of Transformational Changes on Aviation.”
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