Performing on-demand flight checks using UAVs is an innovation technology. Cursir and Russian CAA initiated the implementation in Russian Airports. The first case - Ulyanovsk-Vostochny Airport.

Last year, by order of the Federal Air Transport Agency of Russia, a working group was created on the implementation of UAVs to calibrate, check and configure navigation aids at Russian airports. As part of the activities of this working group, Cursir implemented NAVAID Calibration Drone at the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airport.

NAVAID Calibration Drone is a mobile radio measuring complex developed by Cursir (subsidiary company, R&D department of RTS Union). It was used to pre-configure the radio equipment system at the Ulyanovsk airport. The use of Drone made it possible to reduce the number of flights of a specialized aircraft (a flying laboratory), speed up NAVAID commissioning and cut maintenance costs.
NPO RTS, the head structure of RTS Union, is carrying out a contract for the installation of an ILS 734 (instrument landing system) and an RDF 734 (radio direction finder) at the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny International Airport. At the stage of commissioning, NPO RTS engaged Cursir to carry out system checks using NAVAID Calibration Drone. In June 2021, the Drone performed diagnostic flights, during which it obtained data for preliminary adjustment of ground equipment.

Alexander Tyurkin (Lead commissioning engineer, NPO RTS) said:
"The aerodrome of the Ulyanovsk-Vostochny airport has a difficult terrain, which complicates the preliminary configuration of the equipment. The use of a NAVAID Calibration Drone made it possible to set up the system in a short time and prepare for control flights performed by a special flight inspection aircraft."

Vitaly Munirov (CEO, Cursir) emphasized that the use of NAVAID Calibration Drone radically changes the nature of commissioning, accelerates and reduces the cost of further flight inspections.
"Thanks to the use of a UAS platform, it is possible to perform preliminary configuration of the equipment without the involvement of a flight inspection aircraft. The cost of operating a NAVAID Calibration Drone is noticeably lower than that of a specialized aircraft, and the extensive functionality makes it possible to effectively solve a significant part of the tasks that arise during flight check of radio aids," he said.

Background

The NAVAID Calibration Drone used by Cursir was designed for in-flight measurements of radio technical flight equipment. The Drone consists of a UAS platform, receiver and software. Due to its low weight and compact size, the receiver is placed on board an UAV. The complex is highly functional: it can be used to measure the parameters of such radio and navigation equipment as ILS, VOR/DVOR, RDF and light equipment. Compared to traditional measuring systems, carried by flight inspection aircrafts, the NAVAID Calibration Drone can significantly reduce the cost of performing flight checks by reducing the cost of performing many hour flights in the airfield area, flights between airports, also eliminating the cost of wages for flight crews.

Cursir was founded in Russia in 2015 to carry out scientific and practical research in the field of landing and navigation systems, as well as systems for their diagnostics and control. Resident of the Skolkovo Innovation Center.