FAA activates first digital air traffic control towers in US

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has officially launched the first digital air traffic control towers at executive airports in Bartow, Florida, and Kenai, Alaska. This technological shift replaces traditional glass-enclosed towers with high-definition cameras and sensors that provide a continuous 360-degree view of runways, taxiways, and surrounding airspace.

In addition to the new visual systems, the FAA is modernizing information delivery by phasing out legacy systems, including the removal of floppy disks used in air traffic control information systems since the 1980s. The digital towers utilize infrared cameras, low-light image enhancement, and aircraft identification tags to assist controllers. While the technology provides enhanced optical data and ambient sound, human controllers remain responsible for maintaining aircraft separation.

Funded through federal budget allocations, the government plans to expand this digital coverage to five additional secondary airfields in Maryland, Colorado, North Carolina, and Florida.