Why Airports Digitize and Modernize their Maps

The Airports Surveying Geographic Information System (Airports GIS) is a tool to standardize survey data on airports. It is required by the Airports Regulator (AAI and DGCA) to issue grants under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The standardized airport and aeronautical data helps the regulator (Airports Authority of India) manage data to meet the demands of the Next Generation Airspace System. Our ultimate goal is to integrate multiple versions of the airport data: preliminary, current, planned, and temporary. Additional plans are to share data with other FAA systems such as iOEAAA and eNASR.

In the United States, Airports GIS helps the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) collect airport and aeronautical data to meet the demands of the Next Generation National Airspace System. GoSoft helps develop electronic Airport Obstruction Charts and electronic Airport Layout Plans.

Projections for the Indian Aviation Industry

The aviation industry in India can broadly be divided into military and civil aviation. According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), India is the fastest-growing aviation market. The Indian Air Force, Indian Naval Air Arm and Army Aviation Corps are the air arms of the Indian armed forces. The Indian Air Force is the world’s 4th largest air force with primary responsibility for securing Indian airspace and to conduct aerial warfare during a conflict.

India is the ninth largest civil aviation market in the world having a potential of becoming third largest aviation market by 2020. It recorded an air traffic of 163 million passengers in 2013, estimated to be 60 million international passengers by 2017. The market is also estimated to have 800 aircraft by 2020. In 2015, Boeing projected India’s demand for aircraft to touch 1,740, valued at $240 billion, over the next 20 years in India. This would account for 4.3 per cent of global volumes. According to Airbus, India will be one of the top three aviation markets globally in the next 20 years. Airbus is expecting an annual growth rate of over 11 per cent for the domestic market in India over the next ten years, while the combined growth rate for domestic and international routes would also be more than 10 per cent.

Primary Survey Types based on Intended Use

The survey requirement matrix has broken them down into eight primary survey types based on the intended use of the gathered data and are listed below.

  • Category II or III Operations
  • Navigational Aid Siting (Non-Precision, Visual, or Precision)
  • Airport Layout Plan (ALP)
  • Airport Obstruction Chart (AOC)
  • Construction (Airside or Landside)
  • Instrument Procedures Development
  • Pavement Design, Construction,  Rehabilitation, or Roughness
  • Airport Mapping Database

Obstacle Surveys

GoSoft has surveyed the largest airports in India including Mumbai, Chennai and New Delhi as well as overseas. Every airport survey and mapping project is custom tailored to the client’s requirements to the fullest extent possible.

Our obstacle survey and cargtography is fully compliant with international specifications. Most importantly, it makes financial sense to combine the obstacle survey with other services to generate high-value deliverables that can aid in navigation, expansion planning, infrastructure management, and Enterprise GIS development.

Survey and Quality Control Plan (SQCP)

The SQCP outlines the technical specifications required for the project.  It broadly covers but is not limited to each of the following areas:

  • Project Observation (Execution) Plan
  • Geo-Referencing
  • Feature Extraction
  • Obstacle Analysis
  • Prior Survey Data
  • Field Survey Methods
  • Geodetic Control
  • Runway Data
  • Navigational Aid Data
  • Airport Feature Data
  • Equipment Listing

Stringent Checks to Eliminate Errors

Quality Assurance procedures and practices followed during data collection provide traceability and adherence to the requirements as a result of:

  • A summary of methods to be used to ensure high-quality data
  • Quality control measures for obtained data
  • Evidence of collection feature collection methods
  • Data backup and archive procedures to maintain data integrity
  • A check of all manual data computer entries
  • A verification check of all reports and data submitted

Airport Aeronautical Survey Methodology

At GoSoft, we apply a consistent methodology in locating and charting tree tops, poles, towers, antennae, buildings and other structures that may pose an obstruction hazard to aircraft. A typical obstacle mapping project commences with new color aerial photography. We deploy ground surveyors to provide the required control points to tie the imagery to the earth’s surface.

There are two distinct processes involved in survey in order to obtain elevations & horizontal positions with very high accuracy. These are:
1. To obtain elevation and spatial coordinates at various prime locations in the site using wide area differential GPS. These are the Control Points.
2. The elevation and spatial coordinates used as control points are input into the Total Station using which elevations and spatial coordinates of additional locations/objects are obtained as required.

The final obstacle map includes a three-dimensional imaginary cone within which an aircraft may safely approach and depart from the airport. In addition to obstacles, the imagery can be utilized to identify and map defined airport planimetric features.

Survey Outside the Airport

After the identification process has been completed the cartography section commences the map drawing operation using GIS Software. The map must be informative, contain all roads, water bodies, railway tracks, important places, buildings, and areas. Care should be taken to plot police stations, fire stations, hospitals, nursing homes, and restaurants near the periphery of the airport and the vicinity. These maps are classified as Pre Survey Maps.

Map Layers

  • Roads:  All roads are depicted, broadly classifying them as National Highway, State Highway, Major Roads, Minor Roads and Mud Roads.
  • Water Bodies: All water bodies in the zone are identified and shown in the map.These are categorized as Sea, Rivers, Streams, Ponds, Lakes, Waterfalls etc.
  • High Rise Buildings:  Residential areas are identified and shown. High rise buildings and residential complexes are included.
  •  Industrial Zones: Factories, Industries and zones comprising of a combination of both are identified and classified.
  • Hospitals, Fire Stations, and Police Stations:  In the hospital category all major hospitals that are registered with the Airport Authority are located and shown. All fire stations and police stations in the 30 Km Buffer are identified and also shown.
  • Others: Television Towers, Cellular communication towers, Tall UHF & VHF Antennae, High Tension electrical wires, Tall Pylons holding High Tension electrical wires are located and plotted in the Map.
  • Contours:  Contours up to the 30 Km buffer must be obtained and a contour layer created ( 5 meter intervals) . It is very important to provide a thorough idea of the terrain surrounding the airport as well as the Aircraft Approach Funnel on both sides of the runway.
  • Mountains, Hills & Elevated Areas: These details are important as they form part and parcel of the various obstacle/ tall object charts that are mandatory for an airfield.
  • Creation of Imaginary Surfaces: With the basic data obtained/ available the obstacle limitation surfaces are drawn.  Although this might not be 100% accurate at this juncture, it gives a fairly good idea of the runway bearing and other vagaries.

Survey Inside the Airport and Grid Map Contents

The entire airport is traversed via the perimeter road.  The perimeter road is used while moving around from one location to another within the airport without obstructing the normal airside operations.  Satellite based control points are obtained at several strategic and identified locations such as:

  • Runways
  • Taxiways
  • Aprons
  • Parking Stands
  • Radars
  • Navigational Aids
  • Meteorological Aids
  • Antennae
  • Approach Lights
  • Security Sheds
  • Mandatory Equipment Room
  • Static Tanks
  • ATC Tower
  • Aerodrome Beacon Light
  • Apron Tower
  • Airport Gates
  • Fire Station
  • Fire Watch Tower
  • Isolation Bay
  • Aircraft Hangar

Records / documents are maintained on these control points. The control points are used on a stand alone basis or inputted into a Total Station, using which the locations and elevations of all other important airside objects are obtained.