What is automated inspection in AGL?
Cameras, sensors and test instruments doing the routine checks — recording every result and flagging defects for an engineer to confirm.
Automated inspection uses cameras, sensors and test instruments, with software, to carry out routine checks on lights, signs and circuits. Each reading or image is logged with its position and time and compared with set limits, so the same method is used on every run and defects are flagged for follow-up.
It makes checks repeatable, covers more of the airfield in less time and builds a history that shows slow change. But software only flags: an engineer confirms each finding and does the repair, and checks such as torque, alignment and cable condition still need people on site. It is adopted within the approved inspection programme, not in place of it.
- Sense. Cameras, light sensors and circuit meters collect readings and images.
- Record. Each result is logged with its position, time and the method used.
- Analyse. Results are compared with limits to flag lamp-out, dirt, damage or drift.
- Confirm. An engineer checks each flagged item before any action.
- Report. A defect list with locations becomes a work request.
- Re-check. The next run shows whether the repair worked and builds the trend.
Instruments and software capture and compare results on a repeatable run, logging each one.
An inspector checks by eye and by hand. Still essential for physical checks, judgement and sign-off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is automated inspection in airfield ground lighting?
Inspection carried out with cameras, sensors and test instruments, with software that records each reading and flags results outside set limits. It speeds up and standardises the routine checks, and every result is logged with its position and time.
Q2What can be inspected automatically?
Circuit readings such as current and insulation trends, lamp-out and fixture status where it is monitored, light output measured on a pass along the lights, and the visible condition of lenses, fixtures and signs from images. What can be checked depends on the equipment fitted.
Q3What are the benefits over a purely manual inspection?
Checks are repeatable and consistent, results are recorded the same way each time, more of the airfield can be covered in the time available, and time on the movement area can be reduced. The history it builds also shows slow changes that a single visit would miss.
Q4Does automated inspection replace people?
No. Software flags possible defects, and an engineer confirms them, decides what to do and carries out the repair. Some checks, such as torque, alignment and the physical condition of cables and connectors, still need hands and eyes on the equipment.
Q5Does it satisfy the required inspection and maintenance rules?
Only if the aerodrome’s approved procedures and the regulator accept it. ICAO Annex 14 and the national requirements set what must be inspected and how often, so an automated method is adopted as part of that programme and does not replace it.
Q6What affects how reliable the results are?
Instrument calibration, the quality of the images and readings, correct position and time tagging, and the limits that the software compares against. Weather, dirt and poor lighting can also affect camera-based checks, so flagged defects are confirmed before action.
See It. Understand It. Then Learn How to Engineer It.
Recognising an AGL system visually is the first step. The next step is knowing how to design, install, test, commission and maintain them correctly.
Build Practical AGL Engineering Skills
Go deeper with structured training from Precision AGL Academy, covering:
Learn how each light, sign and circuit works as part of a complete airport lighting system, not just as an isolated diagram.