Small airports with low air traffic density are often of considerable regional importance - in some areas they may even be the only relevant way to connect with the outside world. However, providing the necessary local staff to operate such an airport can be challenging and costly. Current weather observations in these locations are often completely or partially replaced by simplified automatic observation instead of a professional observer. Namely visibility and cloud observations tend to be reported in a simplified form or omitted completely. But observations of these meteorological elements by current automated methods (visibility sensor, ceilometer) are limited by the point character of these measurements.
We propose IMS4 Remote Observer as a solution. This camera-based novel approach allows remote and automated observation of visibility and clouds in accordance with ICAO regulations. Camera images of the horizon and whole sky in adequate quality in the visible and infrared spectrum are taken and subsequently processed (A) by remote observer using suitable GUI or (B) automatically using artificial intelligence methods. The solution was initially developed and validated in the SESAR project PJ.05-05 Advanced Automated MET System.
IMS4 allows:
- objectification of visibility & cloud observations
- enhancement of these observations
- exact weather information storage
- better view for a local observer
- home-office/work from quarantine for professional observers (important in covid-times)
- possibility to centralize MET observations & observe multiple locations simultaneously
- cost-effectiveness and automatization
- integration as a part of MET aerodrome system & METAR reporting
- professionalization of training of new MET stuff