The customer operates a regional international airport serving both passenger and cargo flights. Daily operations include hundreds of aircraft movements and thousands of ground staff interactions across the apron.

Ground operations involve:

• Aircraft marshaling and docking

• Baggage loading and unloading

• Catering and fueling

• Line maintenance and inspections

Peak periods often compress multiple operations into short time windows, increasing the risk of miscoordination.

• High-density mixed traffic
  Personnel and vehicles share limited apron space around aircraft.

• Restricted and dynamic zones
  Safety zones change depending on aircraft type, engine status, and operation phase.

• Limited situational awareness
  Supervisors could not see real-time positions of staff and vehicles across the apron.

• Near-miss investigation gaps
  Incidents were reported after the fact, with limited objective data.

• Emergency response uncertainty
  Locating specific staff during incidents took too long.

GridRTLS implemented an UWB RTLS architecture optimized for airport apron operations:

1) Apron-wide UWB positioning

UWB anchors were deployed around gates, apron lanes, and high-risk intersections to provide precise positioning of personnel and vehicles in GPS-challenged areas near aircraft fuselages.

2) Wearable personnel tracking

Ground staff wore AQM hybrid positioning safety helmets, enabling:

• Continuous location tracking

• SOS alerts during incidents

• Automatic logging of zone entry and exit

3) Vehicle positioning and control

Ground vehicles were equipped with vehicle-mounted positioning terminals, allowing:

• Real-time tracking

• Speed-zone enforcement near aircraft

• Proximity alerts between vehicles and personnel

4) Safety zoning and alerts

Virtual zones were configured for:

• Aircraft safety envelopes

• Engine run-up areas

• Restricted maintenance zones

Alerts were triggered when personnel or vehicles entered zones without authorization.

Phase 1 — Apron mapping and zone definition
The apron was digitally mapped to define gates, taxiway intersections, and aircraft safety envelopes.

Phase 2 — Infrastructure deployment
UWB anchors were installed with weather-resistant mounts designed to withstand jet blast, vibration, and temperature variation.

Phase 3 — Device rollout
Personnel and vehicles were equipped in phases to avoid operational disruption. Training focused on interpreting alerts and SOS workflows.

Phase 4 — Operational tuning
Alert thresholds and zone boundaries were refined based on aircraft type, operation phase, and feedback from ground crews.

After deployment:

• Near-miss incidents were reduced by more than 60%, improving apron safety.

• Response time during incidents dropped significantly, with supervisors able to locate staff within minutes.

• Restricted zone compliance improved, reducing unauthorized access events.

• Aircraft turnaround became more predictable, as fewer safety-related disruptions occurred.

The RTLS provided a shared operational picture for safety, operations, and airport management teams.