United States
Where US digital towers stand
Built only from public sources, each dated and linked. Last reviewed 11 October 2026.
2 Sep 2026
Design approval, with conditions
AIP guidance states the FAA granted system design approval to Frequentis USA on 2 September 2026, with conditions. The conditions are not in the sources reviewed. PGL 26-06
28 Sep 2026
AIP funding guidance
PGL 26-06 says a digital tower with FAA system design approval may be funded at Contract Tower candidates, and that it does not grant operational approval. The sponsor must own, operate and maintain the system.
18 Sep to 19 Oct 2026
FY27 contract tower grants
The FAA Contract Tower Competitive Grant Program lists FAA-certified digital towers as eligible; up to $100 million this year. Applications close 19 October 2026. FAA page
Sources disagree on timing. The FAA Remote Tower Systems page, last updated 6 February 2025, says no remote tower system is approved for the NAS and lists no design approval. The September 2026 guidance letter postdates it. Both are linked below.
US sites
KJYO
Leesburg Executive Airport
Northern Colorado Regional Airport
Bartow Executive Airport (Digital Tower Operations Center)
KGIF
Winter Haven Regional Airport
KACY
FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center (Atlantic City)
KJNX
Johnston Regional Airport
Timeline
- 2 Oct 2026Colorado Aeronautical Board hears that guidance was issued and design approval granted; award timing is described as uncertain. citizenportal.ai
- 28 Sep 2026FAA Office of Airports issues PGL 26-06 on AIP funding of Digital Airport Traffic Control Tower systems. It does not grant operational approval. faa.gov
- 18 Sep 2026FY27 Contract Tower Competitive Grant Program opens; digital towers are eligible if FAA-certified. Applications close 19 October 2026. faa.gov
- 2 Sep 2026FAA grants system design approval to Frequentis USA, with conditions (as stated in AIP Program Guidance Letter 26-06). faa.gov
- 29 Apr 2026Military and Aerospace Electronics reports an FAA request for proposals for remote tower systems, a potential 50 units over five years, responses due 26 June 2026. militaryaerospace.com
- 22 Apr 2026Digital Tower Technology Coalition announces its priorities. backend.ainonline.com
- 27 Aug 2025AIN: FAA tests systems at the Technical Center and selected RTX-Frequentis for design approval evaluation; no approvals issued yet. backend.ainonline.com
- 6 Feb 2025FAA page states remote tower systems are not currently approved for use in the NAS and lists no system design approval. faa.gov
- Jun 2024Remote Tower System Technical Requirements draft v5.0. faa.gov
- 16 May 2024FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 signed. Reason summarizes Section 621: a defined design and operational approval process within 180 days, briefings through September 2028, and eligibility under the Contract Tower Program. reason.org
- Nov 2023Colorado DOT says the FAA terminated the Northern Colorado project in late 2023 after the vendor stopped work. codot.gov
- Jun 2023FAA discontinues the remote tower program at Leesburg. leesburgva.gov
- 16 Mar 2023FAA vendor information meeting on remote towers. faa.gov
- 10 Jan 2023Operational Visual Requirements draft v2.1. faa.gov
- 18 Feb 2022Draft Advisory Circular v3.0 for non-federal remote tower systems. faa.gov
- 1 Apr 2021Operational Safety Assessment v2.7 published (Allocation Report v1.3 follows 16 Sep 2021). faa.gov
- 7 Apr 2020FAA publishes Remote Tower Systems Concept of Operations v1.0. faa.gov
- 2018Air traffic services at Leesburg begin through the FAA remote tower program. leesburgva.gov
- 1 Oct 2015Colorado announces Northern Colorado Regional as an FAA remote tower test site. en.wikipedia.org
- Jun 2015Leesburg Executive Airport tests a remote tower system (summer 2015). en.wikipedia.org
FAA documents (public)
- Concept of Operations v1.0 7 Apr 2020
- Operational Safety Assessment v2.7 1 Apr 2021
- Allocation Report v1.3 16 Sep 2021
- Vendor feedback briefing 21 Jul 2021
- Draft Advisory Circular v3.0 18 Feb 2022
- Operational Visual Requirements draft v2.1 10 Jan 2023
- Industry awareness briefing 16 Mar 2023
- Technical Requirements draft v5.0 Jun 2024
Copies of public FAA documents. Latest versions: faa.gov remote tower systems.