Runway Edge Light Photometry by Vertical Scanning Method Using Drone Mounted Photodiode Array

Runway edge light is a runway lighting indicator which provides guidance to pilots on nightfall or bad weather, thereby a regular intensity measurement is required to ensure safety of flights in airport based on aviation regulation. Most instruments that are currently available used ground vehicle to conduct photometry which has a high dependence on airport infrastructure conditions. This paper proposed a new photometric method using an instrument carried by a drone thus lowering its dependency on airport infrastructures conditions. The instrument utilized a photodiode array consisting of an aluminum bar with several photodiode module sensors separated apart with the same distance. To prove the concept the instrument was used to measure a Thorn EL-EAH runway edge light in laboratory setting at Balai Teknik Penerbangan Indonesia (Indonesia Aviation Engineering Center). The vertical scanning method was used to obtain the required measurement points. Computer program was then used to generate the isocandela diagram through the Kriging interpolation. Results showed that the vertical scanning method was successfully measure all required points and the resulted isocandela diagram was adequate to aviation regulation.