The mission to detect debris on runways- help increase safety and security

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The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has declared the FODetect, an automated Foreign Object Debris (FOD) detection system developed by Xsight fully operational at Ben -Gurion airport in Tel-Aviv.

The operational status was declared after a rigorous evaluation process and soft launch testing at the airport’s primary runway.

According to Xsight FODetect is a comprehensive automatic FOD detection solution, uniquely embedded in Surface Detection Units (SDUs) that are collocated with the runway edge lights. FODetect provides close-up view of the entire runway during both day and night, including inclement weather conditions. The system’s capabilities are based on a hybrid radar-optical sensing technology utilizing optimized algorithms, advanced image processing software and close range detection.

Scanning between each aircraft movement, FODetect not only markedly enhances safety, but also increases operational efficiency and runway capacity. Xsight’s FODetect system is fully compliant with the FAA’s regulation for FOD detection, as it meets or exceeds thehighest performance levels in every parameter required by the FAA.

The FODetect system is installed on the airport’s primary 0826 runway, the first of three runways planned to be equipped with a FOD detection system.

FOD is an international problem The certification in Israel opens the way for a way to deal with it in a more efficient way.

Experts say that the systems’ sensors are located along airport runways and therefor can serve as an added tool to detect any suspicious movement that can be connected to an terror act.

“It would have to be evaluated but the potential is there” one of the experts told I-HLS.