Foreign object debris radar detection system
Damage caused by Foreign Object Debris (FOD) on airport runways costs the global aviation industry an estimated US $12 billion. Items as small as a bolt, or even a clamshell dropped by a bird, can cause serious damage to aircraft and pose a safety risk.
Commercial airports are reducing these risks by installing our Tarsier Foreign Object Debris radar detection system. This high-resolution radar sweeps the runway around the clock and, when FOD is detected, triggers an alarm in the operations centre where the user display highlights the object’s location.
Tarsier’s radar detection is complemented by the system’s day and night camera. When FOD has been located, the high-zoom camera pans in and sends a live image for visual confirmation, together with the object’s GPS coordinates, enabling accurate retrieval of the object within minutes.
Tarsier is now in service at international commercial airports from Dubai to Doha, Vancouver to Heathrow, and at RAF Boscombe Down’s military airfield. Vancouver was the world’s first commercial airport to install the day and night camera to complement its existing Tarsier radar detection system. Brett Patterson, Director of Vancouver’s Airside Operations, said: ‘The camera allows us to determine quickly whether the FOD is a two inch worm that poses no threat, or a broken zipper from a suitcase that does.’