London City controlled by remote digital tower

LONDON - London City Airport has become the first major international airport in the world to be fully controlled by a remote digital air traffic control tower, following intensive testing and live trials of the revolutionary technology during lockdown, marking a "step change" in global air traffic management.

All flights on the summer schedule are being guided to land or take off from the heart of the London Docklands business district by air traffic controllers based 115 km away at NATS’ air traffic control centre in Swanwick, Hampshire, using an "enhanced reality" view supplied by a state-of-the-art 50m digital control tower.

The technology marks a step-change in global air traffic management and will help the airport meet an expected surge in demand for flying during the summer season as COVID-19 restrictions were eased Monday.

The multi-million-pound investment in the proven remote digital technology marks a major milestone in City Airport’s investment in its future, following the completion of new aircraft stands and a full-length parallel taxiway which became operational in December 2020.