Towering progress for Cranfield radar as airport tech really takes off
The radar will be operational in 2026 and improve the Airport’s capacity to map airspace, actively detecting aircraft rather than relying on them to transmit information. It is the first on-site radar tower at Cranfield for more than 30 years and is funded by UK Research and Innovation.
The 38-metre mono-tube radar tower from Easat Radar Systems Limited is set to help Air Traffic Controllers at Cranfield understand more of the airspace activity around the Airport.
It provides air traffic controllers with the ability to separate planes arriving at the airport by distance rather than time and that will greatly increase the capacity of the facility while also giving information of aircraft that may be in the vicinity but, for whatever reason, not talking to it.
The facility supports the University of Cranfield’s world-class aviation research and the integration of Unmanned Air Systems in the future. The increase in capabilities adds to the digital control tower operation at Cranfield Airport, which was the UK’s first operational remote tower when it opened in 2018.
“This exciting development will greatly enhance our surveillance of the air traffic in the local area airspace, increasing situational awareness, air safety and the capacity the airport is able to handle,” said Rob Abbott, Cranfield Airport’s Director.
“Currently our controllers only know of existence of an aircraft in the local area if they are participating in the service. This system will mean the level of information available to pilots will be greatly increased, ensuring they can navigate the airspace. This system is a pivotal enabler to the airport supporting research in critical areas such as complex air mobility systems.”
Whilst Air Traffic Controllers are now starting training programmes for the new system which include 12 weeks off site at Air Traffic college followed by more than 180 hours live training on site, the radar tower begins the next phase of commissioning before coming online next year.
The Radar System from Easat features Co-Located Primary Surveillance (PSR) and Mono-Pulse Secondary Surveillance (MSSR) Radar functionalities. This state-of-the-art system is designed to provide advanced detection performance, with ranges exceeding 80NM for the PSR and exceeding 250NM for the MSSR, for small targets in harsh weather conditions.
Professor Graham Braithwaite, Director of Aerospace and Aviation at Cranfield University, said: “The new radar will give us much richer data and improved quality of information – that’s crucial to us carrying out our advanced research projects into the future of airspace and aviation.”