skeyes aims to gradually equip all Belgian airports with digital towers to make air navigation services safer, more efficient, flexible and resilient.
"Thanks to advanced technological innovations, future management of air traffic will increasingly take place remotely,” Johan Decuyper says. “With the ground-breaking new control centre in Namur, Belgium, from which the regional airports of Charleroi and Liège will be guided by the end of 2026, and the commissioning of the Remote Tower Development Centre in March 2024 at the site in Steenokkerzeel, skeyes has taken a significant step forward in this digital transformation."
skeyes is currently rolling out ambitious plans for two medium-sized regional airports whose air traffic is largely complementary and will be controlled from a remote location. Although both airports are located 75km apart, they will be only a few steps away from each other in the control centre. Charleroi is a rapidly growing airport primarily focused on passenger flights, while Liège is one of Europe’s top 10 largest cargo airports. Charleroi operates mainly at full capacity during the day, while Liège experiences traffic peaks primarily at night.
Increasing numbers of airports are opting for this approach, and it is no longer just airports with low traffic intensity. There are many reasons for this, including economic, safety and flexibility. It is only a matter of time before the technology is so advanced that it is ready for major airports like Brussels Airport, managed by skeyes.
skeyes' approach is notable for its two-step rollout strategy; firstly perfecting the system at the Remote Tower Development Centre in Brussels while the new facility in Namur is still under construction. The setup in Steenokkerzeel closely resembles that of Namur, enabling skeyes to validate, develop and test the system effectively. Simultaneously, skeyes supports its air traffic controllers, meteorologists and technicians in transitioning to the new environment, even before they move into the new building. This method is proving successful, Decuyper says, as skeyes aims for a 2026 launch. After the launch in Namur, the centre will focus on ergonomic and technological enhancements, team training and accelerating progress on its Flanders project.