BACKGROUND
When I first became familiar with the concept that I've demonstrated in this post, I recalled that the suburb in Mumbai, India where I pursued my undergraduate studies - Vile Parle - was located in an Airport Funnel Zone. While I didn't know this term back then, I was aware that my university's board had allegedly influenced the authorities to obtain approval for extra Floor Space Index (FSI) for their upcoming flagship campus building. That several of the board's existing campus buildings on the street were much taller than anything around couldn't escape anyone's notice.
Regulated by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Funnel Zone serves as a safety net for the flights departing from and landing at the airport. Residential or commercial infrastructure which fall within this 'strategic hypothetical cone extending outwards and upwards from the two shorter ends of the rectangular runway' have to comply with stringent height regulations as imposed by the capping of the FSI.
AVIATION SAFETY
Goes without saying that Aviation Safety is taken very seriously - from the numerous checks at the airport to instructions from the cabin crew during the flight and black box investigation in the aftermath of a disaster. It is the nature of the industry as mechanical equipment flying at high speeds can pose a significant risk to the passengers onboard as well as to the citizens and infrastructure on ground in the event of a malfunction or a security breach.
Because the industry operates in such a controlled and closely-monitored environment, its safety records are documented in detail-
Limited number of accidents in any category does not, in any way, indicate that it is less susceptible to safety incidents. On the contrary, the positive performance can be attributed to excellent controls in place for a high-risk category. For example, while Ground Collision Accidents (GCOL) category has experienced very few accidents, the technology available with us to prevent a severe disaster from occurring is quite robust - Â as will be demonstrated to you shortly.
AVIATION GIS
Geographic Information System (GIS) is an advanced Mapping software which can perform numerous workflows - from geospatial data management and location analytics to visualization and imagery analytics.
While GIS' utility is enormous and wide-ranging since decades, the software developers continuously evolve their offerings for industry-specific use cases such as Military Operations Planning, Solar Siting and Drone Mapping.
In this article, I am going to demonstrate a highly specialized GIS extension built for the Aviation industry - ArcGIS Aviation Airports - which facilitates safe flight navigation around an airport.
VIDEO DEMONSTRATION - ENABLING SAFE FLIGHT OPERATIONS BY MAPPING OBSTACLES AROUND AN AIRPORT USING GIS
I will demonstrate an Aviation GIS workflow in the video below - it involves the creation of an Obstruction Identification Surface - an Airport Funnel Zone geospatial layer per se, which will subsequently be utilized to see whether existing objects in and around the airport such as towers, buildings, poles etc. as well as proposed objects such as construction cranes pose an obstacle to aircrafts in its flight path.
These are the aspects covered in the video-
1) Loading data onto the GIS platform
2) Interpreting the layers in the data package
3) Loading existing objects and proposed objects onto the project
4) Generating an Obstruction Identification Surface
5) Obstacle Analysis using OIS
6) 3D Conversion, Rendering, Symbolizing & Exploration
Much thanks to Esri and its LearnArcGIS resources which I've used to develop this demonstration
Video 1: GIS-based Analysis of objects that may pose an obstacle to an aircraft on its flight path
Interesting isn't it?
Incidents like this one, which occurred just a couple of days ago on 28th March 2022 here in India, reinforces the value of having specialized and sector-specific GIS modules.
ABOUT US
Intelloc Mapping Services | Mapmyops.com is based in Kolkata, India and engages in providing Mapping solutions that can be integrated with Operations Planning, Design and Audit workflows. These include but are not limited to - Drone Services, Subsurface Mapping Services, Location Analytics & App Development, Supply Chain Services & Remote Sensing Services & Wastewater Treatment. The services can be rendered pan-India, some even globally, and will aid an organization to meet its stated objectives especially pertaining to Operational Excellence, Cost Reduction, Sustainability and Growth.
Broadly, our area of expertise can be split into two categories - Geographic Mapping and Operations Mapping. The Infographic below highlights our capabilities.
Our 'Mapping for Operations'-themed workflow demonstrations can be accessed from the firm's Website / YouTube Channel and an overview can be obtained from this flyer. Happy to address queries and respond to documented requirements. Custom Demonstration, Training & Trials are facilitated only on a paid-basis. Looking forward to being of service.
Regards,