CSAIL Event Calendar

The Visual Warning System

This talk describes the development and operation of the Visual Warning System (VWS). This system addresses the problem of providing a timely warning to pilots violating the strictly enforced flight restricted areas over Washington DC. Due to instrument failure or inexperience, an aircraft pilot may inadvertently enter the airspace over Washington without proper authorization. This behavior may appear threatening from an air defense perspective. Some method is therefore needed to communicate to the pilot of the aircraft that they are violating the airspace, and that they should immediately take corrective action.

Although radio communication can be used to warn pilots, many smaller aircraft operate under rules which do not require continuous contact with air traffic controllers. The VWS was developed to provide an additional way to communicate with a pilot violating airspace rules, and to thereby prompt an immediate action by the pilot to contact air traffic control, and to exit the restricted flight zone. The system was designed, developed, and deployed in Washington by MIT Lincoln Laboratory.

See other events happening in January 2009