History of Remote & Digital Towers
How air traffic control moved from the glass tower on the field to cameras, sensors, and screens at a remote centre. A public timeline of the milestones that built the remote and digital tower era, from the first concept in Sweden to today's multi-airport centres.
Public reference timeline compiled from published, open sources (cited on each entry). This is a historical record, not operational air traffic control. Not live ATC. Not certified. Not for separation.
Origins & concept · 2006–2014
2006The concept begins in Sweden
Swedish air navigation provider LFV and Saab begin developing the remote tower concept: control an aerodrome from a remote centre using cameras and sensors instead of a physical tower on the field. The goal was to bring cost-effective air traffic services to lower-traffic airports and use highly trained controllers more efficiently.
Oct 2014World's first operational approval
Swedish Transport Agency ·
SaabThe Swedish Transport Agency grants final operational approval to Saab's remote tower technology, the first such approval anywhere, clearing the way for live operations.
First operations · 2015–2019
21 Apr 2015Örnsköldsvik: the world's first remotely operated airport
Örnsköldsvik Airport in northern Sweden becomes the world's first airport whose air traffic is managed from a remote tower centre, roughly 140 km away at Sundsvall, using high-definition and pan-tilt-zoom cameras projected onto panoramic displays.
Jul 2015First EASA guidance material
EASA publishes its first guidance material on implementing the remote tower concept for a single mode of operation, an early regulatory foundation in Europe.
1 Oct 2015First FAA-designated U.S. test site
Northern Colorado Regional (Fort Collins-Loveland, KFNL), Searidge ·
WikipediaThe FAA names Northern Colorado Regional Airport the first official FAA-designated remote/virtual tower test site in the United States. The system, using Searidge technology, was later activated in November 2018.
2014–2015Leesburg: the first U.S. Remote Tower Pilot Program
Saab, Virginia SATSLab, Town of Leesburg (KJYO) ·
WikipediaA public-private partnership among Saab, Virginia SATSLab and the Town of Leesburg launches the first U.S. entry under the FAA Remote Tower Pilot Program, with testing at Leesburg Executive Airport beginning in summer 2015.
Sep 2016EUROCAE ED-240, the first industry standard
EUROCAE Working Group WG-100 publishes ED-240, the first Minimum Aviation System Performance Specification for remote tower optical systems, giving industry a common technical baseline.
2018Budapest: first integrated remote tower with no capacity restrictions
HungaroControl / Indra ·
IndraIndra's remote tower delivery to HungaroControl is recognised (Jane's ATC Award) as the world's first integrated remote tower system approved for operations with no capacity restrictions, at a major-airport scale.
30 Oct 2018EUROCAE ED-240A supersedes ED-240
An updated optical-systems standard, ED-240A, is approved and replaces the original, reflecting lessons from early implementations and SESAR research.
19 Feb 2019EASA updates its remote-ATS guidance
EASA replaces its 2015 guidance with updated material on remote aerodrome air traffic services, referencing the newer ED-240A standard and experience from EU and U.S. deployments.
Scale & major airports · 2021–2023
22 Jan 2021London City: first major international airport on a digital tower
NATS, from Swanwick (~85 miles), Saab technology ·
NATSNATS transfers London City Airport's air traffic operation to a digital tower at its Swanwick centre, about 85 miles away, where 16 high-definition cameras and sensors relay a 360-degree view over fibre. London City becomes what it describes as the first major international airport fully controlled by a remote digital tower.
29 Sep 2021FAA Operational Viability Decision at Leesburg
The FAA's Air Traffic Services organization issues its Operational Viability Decision on the Saab rTWR system at Leesburg. By that point certified controllers had safely managed more than 75,000 operations using the system.
May 2022Bodø: the world's largest remote tower centre opens
Avinor opens its Digital Towers Centre in Bodø, Norway, which grows into the world's largest centre for digital towers, consolidating control of many smaller Norwegian airports at one location.
Mar 2023EASA guidance updated again
EASA amends its guidance material on remote aerodrome air traffic services, continuing to mature the European regulatory framework as deployments spread.
Today & what's next · 2024–2026
2024Saab winds down the Leesburg U.S. pilot
Saab decides it cannot advance the technology further under FAA rules and steps back from the Leesburg pilot, a setback that underscored the gap between U.S. progress and European deployments.
Jun 2025Norway scales to multi-airport operations
As of June 2025, 14 Norwegian airports are operated remotely from the Bodø centre, with a plan to reach 23 aerodromes by the end of 2027. Multi-airport operations let a single controller manage up to three airports from one workstation.
22 Apr 2026U.S. Digital Tower Technology Coalition launches
A U.S. coalition of airports, controllers, manufacturers and federal partners forms to push remote and digital tower technology into the National Airspace System, advocating FAA approvals and federal funding. As of 2026 the FAA has not certified a permanent U.S. digital or remote tower, even as Sweden, Norway, Hungary and others run dozens.