Presenting ADS-B Labels in a Conventional and in a Remote Virtual Tower Environment: Beneficial or Disruptive?

Abstract

This study evaluates whether Automatic Dependent Surveillance - Broadcast (ADS-B) information presented as aircraft label tags can enhance air traffic controllers’ situational awareness at conventional aerodrome towers and in remote virtual tower environments, despite the well-known limitations of ADS-B information. The concept leverages augmented reality to superimpose traffic labels onto the conventional out-of-the-window view using a HoloLens 2 headset, and secondly, a fully virtual aerodrome tower environment where the out-of-the-window view is generated by video streams or rendered in a Virtual Reality headset. By relying on an affordable ADS-B receiver, the solution aims to provide a cost-effective way to enhance traffic awareness, particularly at airports with very limited or even without any surveillance infrastructure. Three main research questions are addressed: (1) whether the concept is perceived as beneficial by operators despite the known limitations, (2) the level of user acceptance with respect to content, design, and presentation of the ADS-B label, and (3) operator preferences for head-up and head-down ADS-B label presentation in different equipage and visibility environments. A user-centred passive shadow-mode experiment was conducted with 10 subject-matter experts. Each expert tested the DLR prototype Virtual Tower application in good and low visibility, each experimental run twice with and without the augmented ADS-B label activated using recorded traffic scenarios at Braunschweig-Wolfsburg airport. Results show strong acceptance of the concept, with one expert recommending, and 9 out of 10 strongly recommending it. Very high usability ratings were achieved (average System Usability Scale score of 89), and qualitative feedback confirmed a general appreciation of the interface and the overall concept, further supporting this. Leveraging ADS-B data, especially at airports lacking surveillance, offers a cost-effective means to enhance controllers’ SA and could be implemented in the short term.

Keywords: Augmented Reality, Virtual Tower, Remote Tower, ATM, Human Factors

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007282