What are advanced sensors?
Small devices that measure how the lighting system is doing — light, heat, tilt, water, current — and report it, so a problem shows up as a trend before it becomes a failure.
Advanced sensors are devices that measure a condition of the airfield lighting system, such as light output, temperature, tilt, moisture or current, and send the reading to the monitoring system. Basic monitoring says only that a light has failed. A sensor shows how a part is behaving, so a slow change can be seen before it turns into a fault.
The reading usually travels through a gateway to the ALCMS, which compares it with what is normal, shows the trend and raises an alert when it crosses a limit. That lets maintenance be planned and sent to the right place. But a sensor can drift, fail or give a false alarm, so it needs calibration, a reliable link and cyber-security, and an engineer confirms an alert before acting. It supports inspection and testing and does not replace them, and it must never reduce the fixture’s photometric, mechanical or safety performance.
- Sense. The sensor measures a condition, such as light output, temperature, tilt, water or current.
- Convert. The reading is turned into a signal the system can carry.
- Send. It travels through a gateway, over the circuit or a separate link, to the ALCMS.
- Interpret. The ALCMS compares it with normal, shows the trend and raises an alert past the limit.
- Confirm and act. An engineer checks the alert, then repairs or plans the work.
Measure heat, tilt, water, light output and current, and trend them, so a problem is seen early and visits are focused.
Reports that a light is on or off, so a fault is found after it has happened rather than as it develops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What are advanced sensors in airfield ground lighting?
They are devices that measure a condition of the lighting system, such as light output, temperature, tilt, moisture or current, and send the reading to the monitoring system. They show more than whether a light is simply on or off.
Q2What can advanced sensors measure?
Typical examples are the light output of a fixture, its internal temperature, whether it has been knocked out of alignment, water in a base can or pit, and the current or voltage in a circuit. Which ones are available depends on the fixture, the supplier and the design.
Q3How is a sensor different from basic lamp-out monitoring?
Basic monitoring reports a fault once it has happened. A sensor can also show a reading drifting over time, such as rising temperature or falling light output, so a problem can be seen and planned for before the light fails.
Q4How does the reading reach the ALCMS?
Usually through a gateway, over the series circuit itself or over a separate communication link, depending on the system. The ALCMS compares each reading with what is normal for that point, shows the trend and raises an alert when it moves outside its limit.
Q5Can sensors replace inspection and testing?
No. Required inspections, electrical tests and photometric checks still follow ICAO Annex 14, the national regulator and the aerodrome’s approved procedures. Sensors help focus where and when to look, and an engineer confirms an alert before acting on it.
Q6What are the limits and risks of sensors?
A sensor can drift, fail or give a false alarm, so it needs calibration and checking. It also needs power and a reliable link, adds cost and spares, and its communication path needs cyber-security. A sensor must never reduce the fixture’s photometric, mechanical or safety performance.
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