Stratech Systems (http://www.stratechsystems.com/) has announced that the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) will deploy its iFerret Runway Surveillance System, in the first commercial implementation of the award-winning solution.

Foreign object damage poses a perennial hazard to aircraft operations and passenger safety.

The iFerret system, which detects, identifies, tracks and displays foreign objects in real-time, will be deployed on Runways 1 and 2 at Singapore's Changi Airport. As part of the deal, which is valued at over S$12 million, Stratech will customise the system to Changi Airport's requirements and perform system maintenance and upgrades.

Foreign object damage (FOD) poses a perennial hazard to aircraft operations and passenger safety. It is estimated that aircraft repairs, flight delays and airport maintenance stemming from FOD cost the global aerospace industry about US$4 billion a year.

"The prevention of FOD incidents has always been a priority at Changi Airport. For example, the frequency of our runway inspections already exceeds guidelines set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation," said Mr Lim Kim Choon, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of CAAS. "iFerret will enable us to automate these inspections and set even higher standards in operational efficiency and passenger safety," he added.

An all-weather automated system, it is the first of its kind to be based on intelligent-Vision, a form of artificial intelligence that enables machines to "see" in real-time, providing the means for critical-decision support. The system was awarded the Research and Development prize at the Asia Pacific Information and Communications Technology Awards in Macau in 2006.

iFerret can be scaled for airport runways and taxiways of any length, and can also be deployed on airport aprons, airport hangars and even aircraft carriers. CAAS awarded the contract to Stratech following a 15-month pilot trial conducted at Changi Airport.

Dr David Chew, Executive Chairman of Stratech, said, "iFerret represents cutting edge runway surveillance technology, and we hope that it will pave the way for improved safety standards at airports worldwide."

Commenting on the Changi Airport deployment, he said, "The deployment of iFerret at one of the world's best airports is testament to its capabilities, and is in line with our 'powered by Stratech' strategy to commercialise the company’s intellectual property."

iFerret has also been recommended for evaluation at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, by the Centre of Excellence in Airport Technology at the University of Illinois, a performing partner for the Federal Aviation Administration R&D Centre in the United States.