Abstract Since more than 10 years, an increasing interest is observed worldwide in remote control of low-traffic airports by means of some kind of virtual control tower. As outlined in the Foreword by Steve Ellis and in the Preface to this book, “Virtual Tower” depicts the idea of replacing the conventional control tower on airports by an advanced sensor-based control center. It eliminates the need for direct visual traffic surveillance and consequently the requirement for a costly tower building at an exposed location in visual distance from the runway. The virtual/remote tower idea is connected with a paradigm change in air transportation due to the growth of low-cost carriers and the corresponding increased usage of small airports which, nevertheless, require controlled airspace provided by air navigation service providers (ANSPs). Cost constraints require new ideas and concepts to meet these requirements, and the control of one or more small airports from a remote location without direct visual surveillance from a local tower is one of these visions. After providing in Sect. 1 of this introduction some basics of air traffic control in the airport vicinity, I will continue in Sect. 2 with a personal account of Virtual and Remote Control Tower research from the DLR perspective, starting around 2000. In Sect. 3, I present an overview of goals, requirements, technical issues, achievements, and initial steps towards industrialization. The concluding Sect. 4 contains an overview of the 13 chapters and two technical Appendices.


    Access

    Check access

    Check availability in my library

    Order at Subito €


    Export, share and cite



    Introduction and Overview

    Belobaba, Peter / Odoni, Amedeo | Wiley | 2009


    Introduction and Overview

    Liu, Shaoshan / Wan, Zishen / Yu, Bo et al. | Springer Verlag | 2021


    Introduction and Overview

    Sperling, D. / Cannon, J. S. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2007


    Introduction and overview

    Kadak, Andrew C. | TIB AV-Portal | 2011

    Free access

    Introduction and Overview

    Hamkins, Jon / Simon, Marvin K. | Wiley | 2006