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Mexico Leads the Way as First ICAO Member with Largest Fleet of NavAidDrone Solutions for Air Navigation System Verification
Colibrex achieves milestone with the delivery of 11 NavAidDrones to SENEAM in Mexico, pioneering ILS and VOR measurements post-Hurricane Otis in Acapulco
Rheinmuenster/Mexico City, 25.01.2024 – Colibrex, via the LS telcom AG subsidiary LS telcom Ltd. Canada, and Telnorm Air as local service partner in Mexico, has successfully completed the project, won last year, for the delivery of measurement drones to SENEAM, the Mexican Air Navigation Service Provider.
With 11 NavAidDrone systems, this project is unique in its scope and marks a new era in the deployment of drone-based measurement approaches in the aviation world. The NavAidDrone is a fully integrated measurement drone for specialized field measurements required for inspection and regular maintenance of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) and VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range (VOR/DVOR). It has been jointly developed by Colibrex, a subsidiary of LS telcom, and FCS Flight Calibration Services.
The Aeronautical Authority in Mexico (AFAC) and SENEAM are working to implement the regulations and necessary processes to integrate new technologies into the aviation sector. SENEAM’s CEO Javier Alonso Vega Dour strongly supports technological advancements and enhanced operational safety in the aviation industry. He is convinced of the multiple benefits of drone-based NavAids inspection and stated as an example of application “After Hurricane Otis inflicted catastrophic damage in Acapulco, we deployed the NavAidDrone to check the ILS and VOR systems at Aeropuerto Internacional General Juan N. Álvarez (IATA: ACA, ICAO: MMAA).” He added "Colibrex, LS telcom, and Telnorm Air responded swiftly to assist our staff in this challenging disaster recovery mission!"
Ricardo Orozco Delgado, Technical Director of SENEAM, further noted "Our primary goal is to enhance the inspection and maintenance of ILS & VOR systems at all Mexican airports. For instance, we now have the capability to detect variations in ILS signals, which were previously unmeasurable with conventional methods."
“For this key project with several drones to be dispatched and operated within the country, it was obvious that Colibrex, LS telcom and Telnorm Air are the first choice as a team when it comes to reliability, support, and experience for such a high-level innovative technology.” Ricardo Aguilar, Director of Aeronautics at Telnorm Air, adds, and he concludes "We were able to present SENEAM with the most advanced and field-proven solution in the market. Our concept, distinct from commercial drone platforms, features a high level of system integration and emphasizes the best focus on local services."
The Managing Director of Colibrex, Luc Haeberlé, states “SENEAM's project is a game changer, and we are convinced that this choice will inspire many other ANSPs worldwide to adopt our cutting-edge technology with the additional goal of reducing flight inspection efforts and CO2 impact.
For us, it represents the dedication of several years of effort and investment in the development of a solution that offers multiple advantages, both in terms of measurement quality and remarkable operational efficiency.”
With the signed contract, Colibrex, together with its technology partner FCS Flight Calibration Services, confirms its leading role in the emerging market of drones for NavAid inspection.
After an intensive period of testing and a successful validation of the NavAidDrone technology, Colibrex and FCS Flight Calibration Services have started to perform Glide Path measurements for the German Air Traffic Control organization (Deutsche Flugsicherung DFS).
A slew of measurement flights realized under various conditions could confirm the capabilities of the NavAidDrone in terms of measurement performances but also its operative benefits. The ability to conduct the measurement during day without runway closure and the short time necessary for each measurement flight have been identified by the DFS as key benefits!
Colibrex and FCS agreed with DFS on a measurement protocol incl. for example Clearance and Width measurements with the transmitter in normal and in the various alarm modes. This measurement protocol, which will be continuously enhanced in the next months, serves as a basis for the inspection of CAT3 ILS systems at German airports. For that purpose the comprehensive system and control software from Colibrex is operational and the measurement report automatically generated reveals data which were not available so far. An engineering mode will also allow, on request, the investigation of specific parameters.
The introduction of the NavAidDrone at the DFS forms an important impulse for the international deployment of this technology!
The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy has recently published a brochure called "Unmanned flying in the service of man, nature and society".
Read more about the article of Colibrex that has been published in this brochure (Article and brochure in GERMAN):
Go to the brochure page of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy
Go to the general publications page of the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy
Beginning of November 2018, the NavAidDrone from Colibrex and FCS Flight Calibration Services was employed at Hannover International Airport in Germany during the commissioning of a new Instrument Landing System. As part of the measurement process of the Glide Path antenna, our team conducted several measurement flights to generate very precise DDM (Difference of Depth of Modulation) measurement curves above and below the 3° approach path of the new 09R ILS at 1 km distance from the threshold. The measurement flights were monitored not only in the control tower of Hannover airport, but also at the DFS headquarters in Langen via the new DFS/Telekom U:CON drone tracking system. The flights were very successful and form an important impulse for the rapid operational introduction of measurement drones for ground measurements of the numerous Instrument Landing Systems installed worldwide.
Lichtenau / Baden, Germany, 5th March 2018 – Following a joint-development effort with FCS Flight Calibration Services GmbH, LS telcom’s Colibrex announces the launch of NavAidDrone, a drone-based system for navigational aid (NAVAID) inspections.
The NavAidDrone is used for field measurements required for commissioning and regular maintenance of Instrument Landing Systems (ILS). It will support Air Navigation Service Providers, NAVAID system manufacturers, and CNS (communication, navigation, surveillance) installation and maintenance service engineers. The system can also perform VOR and GBAS measurements with additional software included.
Measurement data, processed by the NavAidDrone, will now be available for areas that cannot be accessed by vehicles or conventional telescopic masts and for which measurement was therefore previously not possible. For instance, the NavAidDrone measures localizer coverage with ease in a sector of ± 35° towards the antenna as it can be fully programmed to fly orbit paths. The airborne measurement system can also detect high frequency oscillations of ILS signals caused by buildings, cranes or other construction work obstacles.
Luc Haeberlé, Managing Director of Colibrex explains, “The integrated high-performing FCS receiver guarantees extremely accurate measurement results. At the same time, the flexible airborne platform delivers a much higher volume of measurement points and results, compared to ground measurements. Altogether, the measurement results obtained with the NavAidDrone are much more comprehensive and precise and improve ILS periodical measurements, adjustment and maintenance work substantially. At the same time, the use of NavAidDrone is more cost-effective and will also potentially reduce flight inspection hours.”
Rüdiger Schmidt, Managing Director of FCS, adds, “Drone-based ILS measurement opens the way to a new era in NAVAIDS inspection and FCS together with Colibrex are at the forefront of this exciting and complementary approach to flight inspection. Flight inspection and ground measurements should go hand in hand to ensure the best performance of our client's NavAids. Our exciting new technology very effectively bridges the gap between the two worlds.”
The NavAidDrone unites the flight inspection and receiving and processing expertise of FCS Flight Calibration Services GmbH and Colibrex’s expertise in the design and international commercial operation of unmanned aircraft systems for radio frequency measurements.
Colibrex and FCS are planning a follow-up development and launch of the “RadarDrone” to perform field measurements for commissioning, trouble-shooting and regular maintenance of military and civil radar and surveillance systems, including primary (PR) and secondary (SSR/MSSR) radar installations. The Air Navigation Service Providers and CNS maintenance staff, radar system manufacturers and radar service organisations will benefit from this new drone-based measurement technology.
Malaysian Digital TV broadcaster MYTV verifies transmission installation via drone based measurements
Rheinmuenster, Germany – Colibrex, the pioneer and worldwide market leader in drone based radio frequency measurements, today announced that it has recently completed countrywide antenna measurements for the Malaysian DVB-T2 broadcast operator MYTV Broadcasting Sdn Bhd. It is the first time that these drone measurements are performed in Asia.
The new Malaysian DVB-T2 broadcast operator MYTV is in the midst of implementing and rolling out their nationwide Digital TV network. As part of the network deployment, MYTV has to install new DVB-T2 transmitter systems all over the country. As most of the new antennas have to be mounted on existing towers, it is even more crucial to verify the transmission characteristics of these new installations.
Colibrex and its long-standing Malaysian partner Wamata Solutions Sdn Bhd started work several months ahead of the actual measurements to obtain the necessary flight approvals and to schedule the flights. The work included organizing the logistics, coordinating the measurement flights with various authorities and obtaining appropriate approvals, e.g. from the Malaysian Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).
The drone measurements enabled MYTV to detect installation errors, incorrect antenna configurations and factory faults on the newly installed antennas. MYTV was able to take immediate corrective measures together with the system supplier.
“We are excited to be the first broadcaster in Asia to use Colibrex´s drone based measurement, and the results have been encouraging. Knowing how the antennas perform in their real environment and having the opportunity to immediately engage corrective measures with the system supplier or with the owner of the masts are of great benefit to MYTV. The Colibrex solution led to savings in both costs and time. We are already preparing the measurement of additional sites as we believe we will realize the same positive impact on our budget and time schedules as with the preceding measurements,” said Michael Chan, CEO of MYTV.
Colibrex has already realized over eight hundred successful measurements in similar projects across Europe, Africa, North and South America.
For more information please contact Info(at)Colibrex.com
LS telcom´s subsidiary Colibrex, the worldwide leader in airborne RF measurement, has recently completed broadcast measurements in Cedar Hill, Texas, USA, via unmanned aerial system (UAS, i.e. drone). The measurement validated both the horizontal and vertical transmission patterns of a newly installed broadband antenna for a television station. Leveraging the precision flight of the UAS combined with a specialized measurement payload, the key data was captured over a two-day period at the Cedar Hill facility beginning of this month, as part of the local network’s preparation for the upcoming repack.
“We are pleased to be able to bring this innovative technology to US broadcasters. As the industry faces the compressed time frame of the repack, Colibrex’s UAS Broadcast Measurement can optimize installations and rapidly provide broadcasters with the key baseline measurement of their network’s performance,” said Casey Joseph, Vice President of LS telcom Inc (LS telcom partner of Colibrex in the US). Broadcasters preparing for network equipment upgrades can include UAS Broadcast Measurement as a service in their network repack plans being filed with the FCC.
With over eight hundred successful measurements to its credit, Colibrex is the global leader in UAS Broadcast Measurement. The processes and procedures for these measurements have been approved for operations in over fifteen different countries around the world. For the Cedar Hill measurement, Colibrex operated via LS telcom Inc under an FAA approved Part 107 waiver giving access to the necessary airspace for the mission.
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