UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning Support

The inspection of PAPI (precision approach path indicator), ALS (approach light system), and runway lights is the basis of maintenance actions that safeguard the safety of airport operations. These actions consist of measurements requiring the accurate positioning of reference viewing points. Common...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wiesław Pamuła, Teresa Pamuła, Tomasz Stenzel, Maciej Sajkowski, Adam Rytter, Daria Żuchowska
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Remote Sensing
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/6/1013
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850088042953441280
author Wiesław Pamuła
Teresa Pamuła
Tomasz Stenzel
Maciej Sajkowski
Adam Rytter
Daria Żuchowska
author_facet Wiesław Pamuła
Teresa Pamuła
Tomasz Stenzel
Maciej Sajkowski
Adam Rytter
Daria Żuchowska
author_sort Wiesław Pamuła
collection DOAJ
description The inspection of PAPI (precision approach path indicator), ALS (approach light system), and runway lights is the basis of maintenance actions that safeguard the safety of airport operations. These actions consist of measurements requiring the accurate positioning of reference viewing points. Commonly, GNSS-based methods are employed and augmentation procedures are applied to improve the positioning precision. Augmentation involves the use of additional sources of information such as reference stations and complicates the process of position calculations. An image processing-based method is proposed for triangulating the positions of reference viewing points during inspections of airfield lights using a UAV. The Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetric range imaging technique and airport geodesic data are the basis of the method. The measurement of PAPI transition angles is presented as an application example. The results are compared to GNSS-based measurements and prove the viability of the method.
format Article
id doaj-art-d20832c9d8564c97ade6fcef273e8f74
institution DOAJ
issn 2072-4292
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Remote Sensing
spelling doaj-art-d20832c9d8564c97ade6fcef273e8f742025-08-20T02:43:06ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922025-03-01176101310.3390/rs17061013UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning SupportWiesław Pamuła0Teresa Pamuła1Tomasz Stenzel2Maciej Sajkowski3Adam Rytter4Daria Żuchowska5Faculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandFaculty of Transport and Aviation Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandFaculty of Materials Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandFaculty of Materials Engineering, Silesian University of Technology, 44-100 Gliwice, PolandAirotec sp. z o.o., ul. Wł. Trylińskiego 14/116, 10-683 Olsztyn, PolandAirotec sp. z o.o., ul. Wł. Trylińskiego 14/116, 10-683 Olsztyn, PolandThe inspection of PAPI (precision approach path indicator), ALS (approach light system), and runway lights is the basis of maintenance actions that safeguard the safety of airport operations. These actions consist of measurements requiring the accurate positioning of reference viewing points. Commonly, GNSS-based methods are employed and augmentation procedures are applied to improve the positioning precision. Augmentation involves the use of additional sources of information such as reference stations and complicates the process of position calculations. An image processing-based method is proposed for triangulating the positions of reference viewing points during inspections of airfield lights using a UAV. The Structure-from-Motion (SfM) photogrammetric range imaging technique and airport geodesic data are the basis of the method. The measurement of PAPI transition angles is presented as an application example. The results are compared to GNSS-based measurements and prove the viability of the method.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/6/1013UAVairport lightsPAPIstructure from motionangular coveragetransition angles
spellingShingle Wiesław Pamuła
Teresa Pamuła
Tomasz Stenzel
Maciej Sajkowski
Adam Rytter
Daria Żuchowska
UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning Support
Remote Sensing
UAV
airport lights
PAPI
structure from motion
angular coverage
transition angles
title UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning Support
title_full UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning Support
title_fullStr UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning Support
title_full_unstemmed UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning Support
title_short UAV-Based Airport Lights Inspection Without GNSS Positioning Support
title_sort uav based airport lights inspection without gnss positioning support
topic UAV
airport lights
PAPI
structure from motion
angular coverage
transition angles
url https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/17/6/1013
work_keys_str_mv AT wiesławpamuła uavbasedairportlightsinspectionwithoutgnsspositioningsupport
AT teresapamuła uavbasedairportlightsinspectionwithoutgnsspositioningsupport
AT tomaszstenzel uavbasedairportlightsinspectionwithoutgnsspositioningsupport
AT maciejsajkowski uavbasedairportlightsinspectionwithoutgnsspositioningsupport
AT adamrytter uavbasedairportlightsinspectionwithoutgnsspositioningsupport
AT dariazuchowska uavbasedairportlightsinspectionwithoutgnsspositioningsupport