Smart guidance system at airport to improve aircraft parking & safety

Kolkata: A smart guidance system for pilots to safely park aircraft at airports, developed and tested in Kolkata two years ago, was commissioned on Friday.The Smart Visual Docking Guidance System (S-VDGS) guides pilots from the taxiway to the stop position in the apron's parking bays, either next to the integrated terminal building or in remote bays, enhancing precision, safety, and turnaround efficiency. While the laser-based system has already been installed in 22 parking bays in Kolkata, another 25 bays will be equipped with the system by the end of next month.It has already been deployed at Pune airport and will be installed at Chennai, Bhubaneswar, Patna, Goa, Trichi, Chandigarh, and Srinagar over the next few months. Altogether, 122 units will be installed at the nine airports: Kolkata has the largest order of 47 units, followed by 31 for Chennai, 11 for Bhubaneswar, 10 each for Pune and Chandigarth, six for Patna, three each for Srinagar and Goa and one in Trichi."This system enables automatic scheduling, docking, and billing of aircraft while enhancing overall airside safety," said Kolkata Airport director Pravat Ranjan Beuria. "It significantly improves airport operations by reducing turnaround time and ensuring real-time monitoring of apron activities."The system performs a 3D LiDAR scan of the apron area to inform an aircraft if it can roll ahead and dock or signal it to wait if there is an obstacle on the path. It also informs the pilot whether the aerobridge is engaged and whether the ground power unit (GPU) and pre-conditioned air (PCA) are attached to the aircraft or not.Developed indigenously by Inxee in collaboration with the Airports Authority of India (AAI), Smartdock AI uses a trio of optical, thermal, and infrared cameras to guide incoming aircraft from the taxiway to a precise stop position at the apron.The new system will replace the earlier VDGS guidance units at 25 gates. While that system struggled in poor visibility conditions like heavy rain and dense fog, the new system underwent heavy weather testing at Srinagar and Amritsar and provides clear displays for pilots in high resolution in all weather conditions."The system instructs a pilot to move left or right to align perfectly with the central line, to slow down, wait, or stop. It provides speed indication as well as the take-off time so that the pilot and co-pilot know the relevant information before the rollback. In the future, we plan to integrate weather warnings as well," said Inxee founder director Srinath Nudurupati.The system also marks a significant improvement in pilot autonomy and efficiency. "Allowing pilots to self-park using accurate visual cues reduces dependency on manual marshalling, eases taxiway congestion, and accelerates the docking process," an airport official said.A major win for AAI is the system's cost-effectiveness and maintainability. Spare parts are sourced locally, and the system requires minimal upkeep. Data captured — especially chock times — is valuable for airlines and airport operators alike, enabling more accurate performance reporting and billing.