Data from all the Drishti systems at IGI Airport can be viewed on a single screen at ATC. (AFP photo)
The Delhi Airport has installed 10 indigenous visibility measuring devices - 'Drishti' - on its three runways to ensure safe landing and take-off of aircraft in poor visibility conditions.
Developed by Bengaluru-based CSIR-National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL), 'Drishti' will be used for reporting runway visual range, which is a critical parameter for safe landing and take-off in poor visibility (25 to 2,000 meters).
"Drishti Transmissometers have been installed at this airport recently, as part of the first-phase installation of 20 such systems in 10 airports across the country.
"The CAT III B IGI (ndira Gandhi International) Airport, New Delhi, is now the first airport in the country to have 10 indigenous systems operating in all its three runways," said a statement from the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Earlier, CSIR-NAL and India Meteorological Department (IMD) signed a partnership agreement to jointly execute a mega project for installation of nearly 70 Drishti systems, at various airports of the country.
The Drishti field site system is completely designed and fabricated at CSIR-NAL. IMD has established the dual mode 'Landline' and 'Wi-Fi' communication along with multiple displays at Air Traffic Control Room and Approach Radar Room.
Now, data from all the Drishti systems at IGI Airport can be viewed on a single screen at ATC which will help the MET officer to easily report visibility data to pilots.
The system is "very cost-effective" and is a mandatory system required at all airports as per International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
Another advantage of this indigenous system is that CSIR-NAL can do the health monitoring of the system through web enabling from Bengaluru itself. "This drastically reduces the cost of maintenance, which is exorbitant in case of imported systems." the statement added.