Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia, becomes the Middle East's first airport to be operated remotely. powered by SANS and INDRA's Digital Tower

Al-Ula International Airport in Saudi Arabia is now operating fully remotely thanks to the digital tower system developed by Indra and SANS (Saudi Air Navigation Services), together with NERA, its technological solutions and services division. It will be the first airport in the Middle East to incorporate this innovative technology, which enables controllers to manage take-offs and touchdowns via a control center located 550 kilometers from the runway in Jeddah with the highest levels of safety and efficiency.

For this purpose, a mast equipped with high-definition cameras and sensors to transmit information and images in real time has been installed at the airport, facilitating more flexible infrastructure management by eliminating the physical towers and allowing multiple airports to be operated via a single center.

Through a 360-degree videowall, Indra’s digital tower solution incorporates a 4K view of all the elements of the runway and the restricted areas at the airport, as well as night vision and artificial intelligence, and augmented reality capabilities to ensure aircraft safety.

Moreover, Indra’s digital tower at Al-Ula Airport is integrated into its ManagAir automation solution, one of the most widely used at control centers and airports around the world, which can calculate more accurate routes, reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions, and move towards more sustainable aviation throughout the territory.

Mr. Saleh Alzahrani, COO of Saudi Air Navigation Services, said: “The integration of SANS’s operational expertise with the innovative capabilities of the virtual tower demonstrates our dedication to transforming air navigation services. This partnership enhances our ability to provide seamless, safe, and efficient air traffic management, paving the way for a smarter and more connected aviation future”.

This project will establish Indra as a benchmark in advanced and innovative digital technology, which enables remote operation in projects such as Al Ula Airport, while in other environments it enhances airport efficiency, safety, and operational capacity, as already occurs in Norway, where 15 airfields are controlled at a single center; at Budapest Airport, where it improves airport operations; and at the airport in Vancouver, one of the largest and busiest in the world, where Indra’s solution will manage operations on seven of its aprons”, added Víctor Martínez,  Executive Vice President of ATM at Indra.

Indra is one of the key technological partners of SANS and NERA, accompanying them in their strategy to modernize air navigation in Saudi Arabia and deploy innovative solutions to drive connectivity and economic development in the region.

Commitment in the Middle East

The company maintains a significant presence in the Arabian Peninsula and the Middle East, in line with its international expansion and growth strategy set out in its Strategic Plan.

A clear example of this is the extension of the contract for the operation of rail traffic management systems, signalling, telecommunications, booking, ticketing, access control, safety and IT systems that facilitate the integrated, secure and efficient management of the Mecca–Medina High-Speed Rail line, one of the world’s leading railway infrastructures in Saudi Arabia.

In addition, Indra performs the comprehensive management of Riyadh’s ticketing system, which caters for over 800 buses, BRT lines and sales and validation solutions by means of EMV, mobile devices and smart watches.

Indra’s strategy in the Middle East has also been strengthened through its alliances with EDGE, one of the world’s leading advanced technology groups, for the design and manufacture of state-of-the-art radars.