30.12.2020
VAST - Virtual Airspace and Tower
The VAST project – Virtual Airspace and Tower – addresses the question of how, using state-of-the-art visual computing technologies and current visualization concepts from various fields of media technology, air traffic can be represented in virtual space in such a way that the overview of the situation is better and easier to obtain than with previous technology.
©
FH St. Pölten
Air traffic control is a complex, safety-critical field with little innovation. Radar and its graphical user interfaces abstract and visualize the airspace in two dimensions. However, air traffic controllers are forced to gain and maintain an overview of the situation by mentally extracting altitude and time, information that is only available via displayed text. This results in a very high cognitive load.
The VAST project – Virtual Airspace and Tower – addresses the question of how, using state-of-the-art visual computing technologies and current visualization concepts from different areas of media technology, air traffic in virtual space can be represented in such a way that the overview of the situation can be obtained better and more easily than with previous technology.
The project will also examine whether VAST positively impacts efficiency (faster decision-making) and safety (conflict detection). Furthermore, VAST provides key technologies that enable European aviation's technological leap to "4D trajectories," as envisioned in the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) master plan. VAST aims to secure a competitive advantage for the Austrian aviation industry by preparing it for the future, widespread deployment of new technologies.
VAST provides key technologies that enable the technological leap of European aviation to "4D trajectories".