airsight has been entitled by the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (BMVI) as authorised entity to verify aircraft detection systems for obstacle lighting.
Background on aircraft detection systems for obstacle lighting
Wind turbines may represent a hazard for low-flying aircraft. To mitigate risks, obstacle lighting needs to be installed to warn pilots of the presence of wind turbine during night conditions.
Nevertheless, conventional wind turbine lights represent a permanent visual disturbance to the neighbouring local communities: the obstacle lights are always on or flashing, independently of the presence of an aircraft in the vicinity. In the past this has led to many conflicts between project developers and local communities, reducing the acceptance of the planning of new wind parks.
airsight – newly authorised entity to conduct technical assessment of aircraft detection systems and their site-specific installation
To minimise the intrusive visual impact while ensuring aviation safety, the German Renewable Energy Sources Act (or EEG) now requires the installation of aircraft detection systems for obstacle lighting of wind turbines. Relying on radar or aircraft transponder signals, such systems enable “smart adaptive lighting” which turns the lights on when there is air traffic in the vicinity only.
According to German regulation, aircraft detection systems for obstacle lighting as well as their local installation for a wind farm need to be verified by entitled entities.
airsight, as a world’s leading aviation safety specialist, recently was entitled by the German Ministry of Transport (BMVI) as such entity and is now eligible to perform the technical assessment and verification of aircraft detection systems for obstacle lighting as well as to conduct the flight operational review for the individual wind farms.
Contact us
Are you a wind farm project developer or an aircraft detection system manufacturer requiring such assessment? Please feel free to contact us at <link lightblue>wind@airsight.de to discuss your requirements with our engineers!