Frequentis remote tower
The remote tower system DFS, Germany's air navigation service provider, developed with the Austrian company Frequentis and runs from its Remote Tower Control Centre in Leipzig.
Verdict: Proven for national providers centralising regional towers in Europe; a long way from a US general aviation field.
Regional airports run by a national air navigation service provider
Air navigation service providers moving regional airports' tower service into a shared remote tower centre.
No prices found on Frequentis's public pages. Ask Frequentis for a quote.
What it is
High-definition video and infrared cameras give controllers a continuous 360-degree view, with pan-tilt-zoom cameras for detail and manual or automatic tracking of aircraft and vehicles, according to DFS.
DFS controls Saarbrücken Airport from Leipzig, where its controllers moved from Saarbrücken in 2018, and added Erfurt-Weimar Airport in 2022. A joint venture of Frequentis and DFS Aviation Services, Frequentis DFS Aerosense, markets the system.
Strengths
- A live remote tower centre run by a national air navigation service provider, serving more than one airport.
- Infrared cameras, which DFS says give controllers a much better view, especially at night.
- Frequentis offers support through regulatory approval, and a wider air traffic management line (voice, automation and more).
Limits
- No US remote tower deployment found on Frequentis's remote tower page or in DFS's announcements; ask Frequentis before planning around it in the US.
- Its documented use is a provider's centre, not a single small airport.
- No prices found on its public pages.
How it scored
On the same published criteria as every other option.
| Criterion | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Small-airport fit | Partial | Regional airports (Saarbrücken, Erfurt-Weimar), through a provider's remote centre. |
| On-site footprint | Partial | No standard footprint found in published material; cameras are installed per airport (Erfurt: on the existing tower). |
| Controller location | Strong | Remote centre operation is its documented use (Leipzig). |
| Night, low-visibility and backup coverage | Partial | Infrared for night documented by DFS; no published contingency or backup use found. Ask Frequentis. |
| US build, support and FAA alignment | Limited | No US remote tower deployment found in its or DFS's published material. |
| Operational track record | Strong | DFS Leipzig centre: Saarbrücken since 2018, Erfurt-Weimar since 2022. |
| Cost transparency | Limited | No prices found on its public pages. |