As the construction of new Changi Airport Terminal 5 is still undergoing, Changi Airport Group (CAG) does not want to have any obstruction to air operations when working along terminal runway 2. Simply because Changi Airport has been crowned as the world best airport, needless to say, the tension to any obstruction should not be tolerated.

Of course when it comes to construction on world’s busiest runway, safety to work around this runway also become a top priority for CAG team. Similar to air operations, CAG also pay special attention to work site safety.

Automated Height Infringement Detection System (AHIDS), is one of the safety system implemented along Changi Airport Runway 2, with the coordination effort with MG&G and Force 21 Technology.

Based on the traditional method of providing air side safety, each random routine checks on the ground will be done by executing a ground measurement tool, to inspect if the height limit of the highest point of the machinery, does not reach over the pre-set height limit. With massive deployment of heavy machinery on the field near Runway 2, safety officers have difficulty to inspect those machinery as the runway 2 length is 4,000 metre and 60 metres wide. Cutting across the runway is prohibited.

With such limitation to the ground people and culture of promoting site safety for air operation, the concept of this system is to implement a centralised management system, with the aid of cloud technology, mobile network and accuracy of Global Positioning System (GPS) via orbit satellites around the sky of Singapore. With the use of these new technology in positioning, accuracy of the latitude and longitude and height, these had to minimise the deployment of safety officers on ground by freeing up their time, to focus on urgent matters.

In case of infringement from these machinery, centralised system will prompt with alert to CAG Duty Manager (DM), and mobilized manpower resources to check on ground for such incident from happening. Subsequent post-investigation with video recording will help DM to investigate the purpose of infringement on the grounds.

Jack Leo, Senior Technical Manager
Homeland Security