Belgium’s air navigation service, Skeyes, is to establish digital control towers at six airports in the country, including the main Brussels hub and the secondary Charleroi airport.
Skeyes says its board has formally chosen to open a tender procedure which will also cover phased introduction of digital towers at Antwerp, Liege, Ostend and Kortrijk.
The measure is the latest evidence of a shift towards increasing air traffic control efficiency by providing remote surveillance of airports – via camera technology – from a centralised location.
Skeyes is aiming to issue a tender over the next few weeks to source a partner with which to pursue the programme.
“Conditions and planning of implementation will be discussed with the operators of the airport infrastructure, taking into consideration the needs for renovation of the existing towers,” it states.
Skeyes says the decision is part of a strategic plan agreed last year.
“Digital towers are the future of air traffic management at airports and are being deployed all over Europe,” it says.
“Just like other sectors, air traffic control is in the process of digitalisation. Skeyes wants to invest in the technology of the future to improve the quality of service provided to its customers.”
