Microtower Overview

Summary

The Potomac Aviation Technology Meeting introduces Micro Tower, a solar-powered AI that provides tower-like services to airports and heliports. It offers real-time advisories, weather updates, and two-way radio checks, enhancing safety and efficiency. Capable of adapting to different conditions and frequencies, Micro Tower ensures continuous traffic awareness and assists pilots in decision-making, facilitating safe flight operations worldwide.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Micro Tower is a solar-powered AI system designed to provide tower-like services to airports and heliports worldwide.
• 🔊 It communicates with pilots using the airport's radio frequency, offering services similar to those of an air traffic control tower.
• 📡 The system is equipped with built-in sensors and knowledge of airport operations, enhancing its ability to provide accurate and relevant information.
• 🛫 Micro Tower greets inbound pilots, informing them of its presence and how to use it for various advisories and services.
• ✈️ It assists in pre-flight planning by providing weather, traffic, and other essential information to pilots, enhancing safety and efficiency.
• 🔔 The system is capable of adapting its communication based on the frequency's congestion level, ensuring critical information is conveyed without overload.
• 🌬️ Micro Tower provides real-time updates on wind conditions, which is crucial for pilots to adjust their approach and landing procedures.
• 📢 It offers a 'click' feature for pilots to request additional information or services, such as radio checks and flight planning advisories.
• 🌁 The system can include visibility and density altitude in its advisories, which is particularly important for IFR operations and high-altitude airports.
• 🆘 In case of emergencies, Micro Tower can detect and report aircraft ELT signals, facilitating quick rescue responses.
• 🌍 With a global presence, Micro Tower supports a wide range of aviation activities, from tourism to emergency services, promoting safe flight operations around the clock.

Q & A

What is the primary function of Micro Tower?

Micro Tower is a self-contained, solar-powered AI system that provides tower-like services to airports and heliports, including complete advisories, weather, traffic information, and pre-flight planning.

How does Micro Tower communicate with pilots?

Micro Tower communicates with pilots through a shared radio frequency, providing information and services similar to an air traffic control tower.

What are the four primary services Micro Tower offers to pilots?

Micro Tower offers greeting inbound pilots, providing complete advisories, conducting a two-way radio check, and supplying pre-flight planning information.

How does Micro Tower assist in avoiding mid-air collisions?

Micro Tower assists in avoiding mid-air collisions by providing continuous traffic awareness through position reports of other aircraft and by adapting its transmissions based on the level of frequency congestion.

What is the significance of the three clicks mentioned in the script?

The three clicks are a signal from the pilot to activate an advisory from Micro Tower, which then provides updated information such as weather and traffic.

How does Micro Tower adapt its messages based on conditions?

Micro Tower adapts its messages by providing minimal information most of the time and adding other parameters like visibility or density altitude only when they become important.

What does Micro Tower do when the wind conditions change significantly?

Micro Tower automatically provides a heads-up to the pilot about the change in wind conditions, warning them about potential wind shear and advising them to anticipate a strong wind component across the runway.

How does Micro Tower assist pilots during IFR conditions?

During IFR conditions, Micro Tower adds visibility to its messages and provides local altimeter settings to maintain clearance from unseen obstructions, ensuring safe operations.

What is the purpose of the radio check feature in Micro Tower?

The radio check feature allows pilots to confirm their radio transmissions and receptions are clear, which is critical for IFR operations and training environments.

How does Micro Tower contribute to emergency preparedness and disaster recovery?

Micro Tower enables safe flight operations 24/7, which is crucial for tourism, commerce, and emergency preparedness. It also aids in disaster recovery by providing continuous services even in remote or busy areas.

What additional services does Micro Tower provide for flight planning?

Micro Tower gathers weather information from various sources and networks, which is available to pilots for flight planning, including forecasts and alternate airport information for IFR conditions.

Outlines

00:00

🛬️ Micro Tower: AI-Powered Airport Assistance

The script introduces Micro Tower, a solar-powered AI system designed to assist pilots by providing services akin to an airport tower. It operates autonomously, sharing radio frequencies and offering advisories, weather updates, traffic information, and pre-flight planning. The system is equipped with sensors and can adapt its communication based on the situation, ensuring safety and efficiency. It also includes a unique feature where it listens for emergency locator transmitters and can alert rescue services if needed. The system is designed to be used in various conditions, from peak times to quiet periods, and can be particularly useful in low visibility or IFR conditions, providing critical information to pilots to ensure safe operations.

05:00

🌐 Global Services of Micro Tower for Flight Operations

This paragraph discusses the global reach and applications of Micro Tower, which extends its services to various types of airports and heliports around the world. It highlights how Micro Tower aids in decision-making for pilots regarding runway selection based on headwinds and provides critical weather information. The system also conducts radio checks to ensure clear communication, which is crucial for flight safety. Additionally, it warns pilots about density altitude, a significant factor affecting aircraft performance, especially at high-altitude airports. Micro Tower's services are available 24/7, facilitating tourism, commerce, emergency preparedness, and disaster recovery by enabling safe flight operations regardless of the time or location.

Keywords

💡Micro Tower

Micro Tower refers to a self-contained, solar-powered artificial intelligence system designed to provide tower-like services to airports and heliports. It operates by sharing any airport's radio frequency and is equipped with sensors to be aware of its surroundings. In the video, Micro Tower greets inbound pilots, provides advisories, and assists with pre-flight planning, enhancing safety and efficiency in aviation operations.

💡Advisories

Advisories in the context of the video are the services provided by Micro Tower to pilots, including weather, traffic, and other essential information necessary for safe flight operations. The system offers complete two-way radio checks and pre-flight planning information, ensuring pilots are well-informed before and during their flights. This is crucial for maintaining situational awareness and making informed decisions.

💡Unicom

Unicom, short for 'universal communication,' is a term used in aviation to describe the communication system used by pilots to transmit and receive information. In the video, staying on Unicom allows pilots to maintain continuous traffic awareness by listening to the position reports of other aircraft, which is vital for safety, especially in busy airspace or during low visibility conditions.

💡Radio Frequency

Radio frequency is the range of frequencies used for radio communication. In aviation, it is critical for pilots to communicate with air traffic control and other aircraft. The Micro Tower system in the video shares any airport's radio frequency, enabling it to provide services like an air traffic control tower would, even in remote or small airports without a physical tower.

💡IFR Conditions

IFR stands for Instrument Flight Rules, which are a set of regulations for conducting flight under conditions where the pilot cannot see the surface. The video mentions IFR conditions in relation to low visibility and the need for pilots to file backup or alternate airport plans. Micro Tower assists by providing necessary information to pilots to navigate safely under these challenging conditions.

💡Headwind

A headwind is the wind that blows opposite to the direction of an aircraft's travel. In the video, Micro Tower informs pilots about the runway with the best headwind for takeoff or landing, which is important for optimizing aircraft performance and safety. A strong headwind can reduce an aircraft's ground speed and lift, affecting takeoff and landing decisions.

💡Traffic Awareness

Traffic awareness in aviation refers to a pilot's knowledge of the position and movement of other aircraft in the vicinity. The video emphasizes the importance of traffic awareness for safety, especially when visibility is low. Micro Tower enhances this by providing updates on other aircraft's positions and advising pilots to listen for traffic, ensuring they can avoid potential collisions.

💡Altimeter

An altimeter is an instrument used to measure the altitude of an aircraft. In the video, Micro Tower provides altimeter settings to pilots, which are crucial for maintaining clearance from unseen obstructions, especially during IFR operations. The correct altimeter setting is essential for accurate altitude readings and safe flight.

💡Radio Check

A radio check is a procedure where pilots test their radio communication equipment to ensure clear transmission and reception. In the video, Micro Tower offers a unique 'eco check' feature that allows pilots to hear how their transmissions are sent and received, which is critical for maintaining effective communication with air traffic control and other aircraft.

💡Density Altitude

Density altitude is the pressure altitude corrected to sea level for non-standard temperature. It is a crucial factor in aircraft performance, especially during takeoff. The video mentions that Micro Tower warns pilots about high density altitude, which can affect an aircraft's ability to climb and accelerate, requiring pilots to adjust their takeoff performance calculations.

💡ELT

An Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) is a device carried on board an aircraft for the purpose of alerting search and rescue services to the location of an aircraft in distress. The video highlights that Micro Tower can detect ELT signals from aircraft, which is a critical feature for coordinating rescue operations in the event of an accident, especially in remote areas or during nighttime.

Highlights

Introduction of a self-contained, solar-powered artificial intelligence for airports and heliports.

Micro Tower's ability to listen and speak with pilots, sharing airport radio frequencies.

The system's provision of tower-like services during peak and quiet times globally.

Micro Tower's expert system with built-in knowledge of airport operations and sensors.

Four primary services offered to pilots: greeting, advisories, radio checks, and pre-flight planning.

Avoiding mid-air collisions with the help of Micro Tower's traffic awareness.

The system's automated advisory providing essential information to pilots.

Micro Tower's dynamic message adjustments based on frequency congestion and pilot needs.

The system's capability to provide heads-up warnings for changing conditions like wind shifts.

Continuous traffic awareness through position reports and Micro Tower's frequency monitoring.

Micro Tower's adaptability in providing only critical information during busy airport operations.

The system's guidance for IFR operations and electronic signals like GPS and VOR.

Micro Tower's role in decision-making for takeoff and landing, considering headwinds and visibility.

The system's extended advisory feature providing detailed weather and airport conditions.

Micro Tower's unique eco check for radio transmission and reception quality assurance.

The system's detection of aircraft ELTs for emergency response coordination.

Micro Tower's global presence, serving various regions and types of airports and heliports.

The system's contribution to tourism, commerce, emergency preparedness, and disaster recovery.

Contact information provided for more details on Micro Tower's services.

Transcripts

Potomac aviation technology meeting

airport innovations for the real world

since 1996 imagine a self-contained

solar-powered artificial intelligence

that listens and speaks with pilots

sharing any airports radio frequency

like an intelligent human being

providing tower-like services to any

sized airport or heliport during peak or

quiet times anywhere on earth micro

tower is an expert system with built-in

knowledge of airport heliport and even

flight operations made aware of the

world around it through an array of

built-in sensors including a built in a

wass let me show you some of its unique

features micro tower provides four

primary services to pilots it greets

inbound pilots informing them of its

presence and how to use it it provides

complete advisories including required

weather traffic and other information a

complete two-way radio check and

pre-flight planning information for

pilots as I'm approaching any airport my

first concern is to avoid a mid-air

collision because I've just turned to

the frequency I have no idea what other

aircraft may already be in the area or

what they're doing the thing I don't

want to do is go off the airport

frequency with Micro Tower I stay right

on the frequency listening for traffic

when it's this quiet I always make a

blind call to the frequency a six one

two one inbound request advisory evening

this is chemic airfield automated

advisory William tuk dear

at or altimeter reads zero zero two

conditions favor runway 18 or write

traffic pilots discretion Mike wrote are

actually noticed that no one else

responded to me so it did Mike wrote our

just gave me all the information I mean

the runway with the best headwind for

landing or takeoff a reminder to use

right traffic for runway two-four and

pilots discretion tells me there's

probably no one else in the area so I

can now set up for runway two-four for

further services click here Mike three

times for an advisory or Terranea check

because the frequency was quiet in

addition to greeting me the system also

decided there was time to explain how to

use it three clicks activates an

advisory atomic airfield automated

advisory 28-0 at or altimeter three zero

zero team

notice how the message became shorter

most of the time you will just get the

most minimal information micro tower

adds other parameters only as they

become important like visibility or

density altitude if they're not

important it drops them out of the

Unicom chatter entire atomic airfield

updated advisory winds out ta 0 a t1

caution crosswinds bling shared micro

tower even understands how conditions

affect the pilot because the wind

shifted significantly since last call

micro tower gave me an automatic

heads-up that things would change

Rozlyn tells me to anticipate a strong

wind component across the runway

wind shear means I can expect

significant fluctuations in my airspeed

on final because of these warnings I can

plan accordingly ensuring the greatest

margin of safety

staying on Unicom I can maintain

continuous traffic awareness by

listening to the position reports of

other aircraft micro tower brings the

other information right on to the

frequency so I can keep monitoring for

other traffic when the airport gets busy

Micro Tower adapts the transmissions

only giving the most critical

information based on what the pilot

needs right now adjusted for the level

of frequency congestion it gives me just

the information I need at just the time

I needed Micro Tower is continuously

adapting the balance between safety

information and congestion atomic

airfield automated advisory 'wind

ta zero at or altimeter three zero zero

ten per unlinked listen for conduct

listen for traffic tells me there are

other aircraft in the airport area so I

need to pay attention to what those

aircraft are doing in low visibility in

IFR conditions like this I can't see

anything outside my course comes from

following electronic signals like GPS

and via wores

when I'm ready to land at my destination

Airport I descend down that airports

published instrument approach procedure

an electronic 3d course which takes me

safely down to just above the runway if

I can see the airport before I get to

the bottom of the procedure decision

height on an ILS or minimum descent

altitude on that non-precision I land if

I get to the bottom of the procedure and

can't see the airport I go missed

approach and either try again or go

elsewhere when visibility becomes

important micro tower adds visibility to

its message atomic airfield automated

advisory 2005

visibility to miles altimeter three zero

zero two all IFR operations need local

altimeter settings to maintain clearance

from unseen obstructions below

commercial operators also need to know

the visibilities above minimums before

they're authorized to start down the

approach Micro towers already told me

I'll be well above minimums upon landing

every flight is a series of decision at

the airport my first decision is to

determine which runway gives better

headwinds to shorten my takeoff roll and

to maximize my rate of climb micro Tower

only answers with the most critical

information but if I want to force all

of the weather information I can simply

follow the first request with another

three clicks atomic airfield automated

advisory 'wind 2k0

at by visibility two miles altimeter

three zero zero two

Kamik airfield extended advisory when to

k0 at 1 or visibility 2 miles altimeter

three zero zero two membership one zero

two point - Kade Celsius density

altitude at 7500 once I leave the ground

my only contact with other aircraft or

air traffic control will be through my

radios therefore before I take off just

like I always make sure my controls are

free and correct I also confirm I'm

transmitting and receiving clearly with

a radio check this is especially

critical for IFR operations or in a

training environment where loss of comm

only discovered after takeoff can

suddenly become critical for clicks

activates the radio check transmit radio

k612 one radio check one two

RadioShack power ain't as 10 micro

towers unique eco check allows me to

actually hear how my transmissions are

sent and received by others listening to

my aircraft it's a frequency isn't too

busy Micro Tower adds a relative power

figure which is a great way to spot a

radio problem before I take off when

high temperatures or high altitude

significantly affect aircraft takeoff

performance Micro Tower adds a warning

of density altitude to my pre-take-off

radio check when time on frequency

permits transmit radio k612 one Jack six

one two one harsh the density altitude

or semi-divine thank you this is a real

lifesaver especially at high altitude

airports where most density altitude

accidents occur if the frequency gets

busy there's another way to do a really

quick radio check though just click four

times to start the radio check message

immediately eight six one two one Radio

check

[Music]

November 8 six one two one departing

runway two for Micro Tower does

something else special it detects

aircraft one two one five megahertz elts

which no one else is listening to

anymore it's reassuring to know that if

you have an accident late at night when

nobody's around

Micro Tower scans for your aircraft CLT

and reports directly to Air Force rescue

for the quickest coordinated response

for flight planning pilots need to know

what to expect on route and at their

destination micro tower weather

information is gathered together by

satellite or servers where it's

available to pilots by telephone and by

web and over an ever-expanding list of

additional weather networks when

forecasts suggest IFR conditions are

likely pilots are required to file a

backup or alternate airport if they

can't make it to their primary

destination private and commercial

operators are all authorized to use any

and all forecasts to make this

determination Micro Tower has over 100

locations worldwide providing tower-like

services Palace heliports in the Middle

East two airports in the heart of Africa

serving rural communities from Indonesia

to Asia and all across America

Children's Hospital military forces here

and overseas airports and heliports

large and small micro tower enables

tourism commerce emergency preparedness

and disaster recovery through safe

flight operations 24/7 anywhere on earth

for more information you can visit our

website at potomac aviation comm or call

us 202

five seven five five 700 thank you