Remote ATC Tower Project on Hold in Colorado After Supplier Bows Out

Searidge Technologies reportedly told the FAA it would stop work on the project at the Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL), which was expected to cut costs.

Jonathan Welsh

Monday, October 23, 2023 at 03:05 PM ET

Verified

Remote tower technology replaces windows with screens. [Credit: Shutterstock]

Key Takeaways:

A years-long project to test a remote air traffic control (ATC) tower at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL) has been suspended by its supplier, Searidge Technologies.
The initiative, aimed at implementing lower-cost ATC using cameras and sensors, faced difficulties including the COVID-19 pandemic and changing FAA certification standards.
Despite the halt, state and airport officials remain committed to the remote tower concept, planning to explore new suppliers or consider a traditional tower, while KFNL continues to operate with its current mobile remote tower.

See a mistake? Contact us.

A yearslong project to test and evaluate a remote ATC tower at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL) in Loveland has been cut short, for now, the Colorado Department of Transportation said.

Since 2015, CDOT’s Division of Aeronautics has been working with the airport and FAA to bring remote towers to the state’s airports and has used KFNL as a test case. Under the system, controllers use arrays of video cameras and other sensing equipment to conduct ATC operations at a lower cost compared with traditional control towers.