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Low-cost system tracks aircraft

An Institution of Engineering and Technology product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 30, 2008

The IET 2008 Innovation Awards highlights the importance of innovation by celebrating its application across a range of engineering disciplines from across the world.

An entry from the USA into the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) 2008 Innovation Awards aims to develop a more accurate, low-cost system for aircraft tracking and identification systems.

The project provides for complete airspace management using passive aircraft tracking and identification.

The system is more capable than present day radar technology, at a fraction of the cost.

The system uses a network of sensors, which can be installed on existing structures.

The sensors passively receive emissions from aircraft, including transponder signals.

The timing allows the determination of the signal's origin, which locates the aircraft through time difference on arrival (TDOA), triangulation and multilateration.

IET Chief Executive, Robin McGill, said, "This innovative project, which provides better flexibility for coverage and is more accurate by a factor of 10 compared to present day radar technology, has now been adopted by the UN International Civil Aviation Organisation and most of the world's air traffic control agencies".

"In addition, NATO has said that these techniques will be built into the next generation of European military tracking systems".

Now in their fourth year, the IET 2008 Innovation Awards highlights the importance of innovation by celebrating its application across a range of engineering disciplines from across the world.

It is not too late to enter - the closing date is the 25 July 2008.

Details can be found on the IET website.

The award categories are: asset management, built environment, electronics, emerging technologies, information technology, power and energy, product design, project team, measurement in action, security, software in design, start-ups, sustainability; telecommunications and transport.

Entries will be judged by a panel of industry leaders and engineering experts.

This year the IET Awards ceremony will take place on Monday 3rd November, 2008 at the Park Plaza Riverbank, London.

The event will be hosted by Maggie Philbin, who currently covers technology for BBC Breakfast News on their regular 'Tomorrow's World' features, having spent 10 years on the science programme of the same name.

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