Researchers at Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute are demonstrating a low-cost, solar-powered runway status light system that identifies aircraft near or on runways using computer vision and ADS-B signals. Called Simple, Affordable, Flexible, and Expandable Runway Status Lights (SAFE-RWSL), the system detects landing traffic and aircraft on a runway and illuminates lights at the taxiway entrance to the runway to warn pilots and airport personnel not to enter the runway.

Purdue said SAFE-RWSL is ideally suited for smaller airports because its projected cost is far less than the tens of millions of dollars needed for radar-based runway surveillance systems. “Based on the performed study, the use of simplified runway status lights is expected to be effective at reducing runway incursion risk in nontowered, no-traffic environments when a conflicting aircraft is difficult to see,” said Luigi Dy, a doctoral student at Purdue University’s School of Aviation and Transportation Technology.

Professor John Mott and Dy developed SAFE-RWSL, and the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization has applied for a patent.

“Small airports generally rely on simple ‘see-and-avoid’ procedures or, in limited cases, air traffic controllers to prevent these incursions,” Mott said. “Without a comprehensive approach that incorporates technology, however, even the most vigilant pilots and air traffic controllers, if available, can’t prevent all potential accidents resulting from encroachments on an active runway by pedestrians, ground vehicles, or other aircraft.”