A New Laser Technology for Air Traffic Management

Abstract

Laser detection and tracking of aircrafts based systems (LIDARs, LIgth Detection And Ranging systems) are emerging as a critical design trend in development of new generation ATM (Air Traffic Management) paradigms, of which they are the main innovations. The main goal of the presented project is therefore to develop a novel laser tracking technology (SKY-Scanner System) capable to detect and track of aircrafts up to at least 6 nautical miles from the Aerodrome Traffic Zone (ATZ) barycenter, namely a facility of enabling techniques, protocols, numerical prediction tools and devices specifically designed for the analysis of the laser systems performances in ATC applications, with the final target of defining a new generation ATM paradigm based on radar and laser tracking data fusion, and ground to air laser communications. The proposed methodology is considered at the frontier of technological research but it represents the only realistic way to put solid basis for the fabrication of effective radar and lidar integrated systems for incorporation in new generation ATM paradigms.