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

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

Key Takeaways:

The yearslong project to test a remote ATC tower at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (KFNL) has been temporarily halted by its provider, Searidge Technologies.
Searidge Technologies ceased work on the tower program due to various difficulties, including the COVID-19 pandemic and evolving FAA certification standards.
KFNL will continue operating with its current mobile remote tower while officials decide on the next steps, which could include pursuing continued remote tower development with new suppliers or installing a traditional ATC tower.
State and airport officials remain optimistic about the cost-effective benefits of remote tower technology and are seeking other qualified vendors to continue the project.

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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.