Sulaiman Alsahli. International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications www.ijera.com ISSN: 2248-9622, Vol. 12, Issue 4, (Series-III) April 2022, pp. 42-47 www.ijera.com DOI: 10.9790/9622-1204034247 42 | Page The Latest Technologies to Enhance Runway Safety Sulaiman Alsahli ABSTRACT The unprecedented rise in air traffic presents airports and airlines with severe challenges when it comes to runway safety. Given the enormous impact of potential accidents/incidents, the best technologies to mitigate risks involved with safe flight operations are continuously adopted by airports globally. Some of the latest technologies to address the problem are highlighted in this essay. They include infrared barriers aircraft detectors, instant runway intrusion alert systems, and runway hazard management systems. Others include jet- blast deflector fences, remotely piloted aircraft for equipment inspection, and improvements to the flight deck design alongside training and assurance on safety systems. In the interim, the recommendation is installing Runway Status Lights Systems being tested by the FAA in Long Beach, California. The system is designed to offer visible signs to approaching aircraft. Lastly, airports should construct perimeter taxiways commonly referred to as end-around taxiways to reduce the chances of collisions by enabling after access without the need to cross active runways. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Date of Submission: 09-04-2022 Date of Acceptance: 26-04-2022 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. INTRODUCTION Passenger air numbers have increased at an astonishing scale in the last decade. The trend is set to continue with regions massively increasing their passenger traffic. Air carriers are increasingly concerned with the safety of passengers, crews, and planes due to a variety of foreign object debris (FOD) on runways and taxiways, bird-aircraft strikes (BAS), and the growing amount of drones in the air terminal and surrounding areas. Old infrastructure, a constrained runway capacity, and attack detection are costly and wasteful. It requires the continuous adoption of best practices and technologies to mitigate airline safety threats. Airports require intensive airfield and runway safety mechanisms to inspect for potentially dangerous objects on a regular schedule. Next-generation radar is currently gaining traction as threats, including small drones near airports, bird aircraft collision hazards, and foreign object debris (FOD) on runways become more commonplace (Potente et al. 158). A proportion of airports currently rely on human constant monitoring and vehicle patrols for routine perimeter fence checks and airstrip and runway inspections, resulting in inadequate safety operations due to the constraints, including poor visibility and conflicting human performance. This study outlines the latest technologies used to address intrusions from external objects that jeopardize airport security. Aim The aim of the report is to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest airfield and runway safety systems and techniques. II. DISCUSSION The Need for Latest Technologies in Airport Safety Given the enormous impact of potential accidents/incidents, the best technologies to mitigate risks involved with safe flight operations are continuously adopted by airports globally. Today, all airports depend heavily on vehicle patrols for regular intervals of runway inspections. They have a few limitations, including poor visibility and conflicting personnel performance, often causing human errors (Vorobyeva et al. 796). Due to the high cost and constrained features of radar-based workarounds, only a few airports have them. It is likely to result in a strategic plan that is not reassuring to airlines and airports. The workarounds only protect the runway surfaces, leaving little or no room for bird detection. Crucially, the alternatives are not designed to detect drones, which are a potential danger. It highlights a vital research gap in aviation safety to identify more effective ways of enhancing safety using the latest technologies. Infrared Barriers Aircraft Detectors As a potential substitute to radar-based solutions, some airlines avail infrared sensors for flight control implementations at airports. When there is a highly congested density or poor visibility, RESEARCH ARTICLE OPEN ACCESS