Dubai Air Navigation Services (DANS) is analyzing wake turbulence caused by arriving aircraft at Dubai International Airport using a Lockheed Martin light detection and ranging (Lidar) system. Lockheed Martin recently announced that it has completed commissioning of a third “WindTracer” system in collaboration with Bayanat Airports Engineering & Supplies, a UAE engineering firm.

WindTracer sends out pulses of infrared laser light that reflect off naturally occurring particulates in the wind, explains Lockheed Martin, which installed the first two units in 2013. “The movement of these aerosols alters the frequency of the light that is reflected back to the sensor. By processing the return signal, the system is able to detect radial wind speed and direction,” the company said. The system’s maximum range is 33 km (20.5 miles).

DANS, Dubai’s air navigation services provider (Ansp), is using the system to measure the strength and behavior of wake vortices caused by arriving aircraft at Dubai International, which lays claim to being the world’s busiest terminal for international passengers. The Ansp will use wake measurements to prove new concepts for reducing aircraft separations during arrivals, thereby increasing the airport’s throughput.

Earlier this month, DANS became the first Ansp within the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council to sign a cooperation agreement with Eurocontrol. One of the first joint efforts the two organizations will pursue is research into wake vortex concepts. At the time of the announcement, DANS said it had compiled a database of 160,000 tracks showing wake vortex behavior over the past 18 months.

“We are pleased that all three Lidars are now fully operational and are being used by DANS to address capacity and safety improvements,” said Ibrahim Ahli, DANS senior vice president. “With the rise of demand for air travel and the forecasted future growth, we are continuously striving to implement innovative solutions to keep our skies safe and our operations efficient.”