Bayanat Airports Engineering and Supplies (BAES), in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, has successfully installed the region's first WindTracer lidar (light detection and ranging) system at Dubai International Airport. WindTracer collects data on turbulence arising from approaching and departing aircraft. The companies are currently installing the second and third lidar systems.

With rising air travel demand, Dubai International Airport must accommodate the increase in traffic from Emirates Airlines and other airlines using Dubai as their final destination or preferred hub in the region.

As part of Dubai airport's ambitious plans to have aircraft dual arrivals on both runways, Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects (DAEP) has procured Lockheed Martin's sophisticated WindTracer lidar as an integral part of airport safety.

DAEP is spearheading the lidar project as part of continued efforts to lead the region's aviation industry with superior technologies and solutions. They achieved a recent milestone in Dubai's aviation history with the inauguration of Dubai International Airport's Concourse A, the world's first dedicated terminal for Emirates Airlines' Airbus A380 fleet.

"Supporting the aviation industry in the Middle East with advanced technologies provides us great opportunity to work with some of the world's leading manufacturers," said Alan Bourjeily, general manager at Bayanat Airports Engineering and Supplies LLC.

"The initial implementation of Lockheed Martin's lidar system will help Dubai International Airport meet its future demands in passenger capacity while maintaining the highest safety standards. We are proud to be a part of this prestigious project initiated by Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects."

Speaking on the entry of lidar systems into the Middle East, Dr. Michael Margulis, director of WindTracer Programs at Lockheed Martin, said: "WindTracer is the lidar sensor of choice for airports keen on maintaining safety while improving efficiency.

With our systems now in place throughout major airports around the world, including in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Osaka, London, New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Frankfurt, Munich, and Bangkok, we are pleased to be working with Bayanat Airports Engineering and Supplies to install our system for the first time in the Middle East to support ongoing aviation developments in the Emirates. We are proud to be DAEP's choice in ensuring continued flight safety and improved efficiency at Dubai International Airport."

Dubai International Airport, ranked the second busiest airport in the world in terms of international passengers, has three terminals, including the recently inaugurated Concourse A, the world's first A380 dedicated terminal, and operates two runways. Passenger traffic in 2012 surpassed the 57 million mark, a 13 percent increase from 2011.