RF Spectrum Intelligence
for Airports

The RF Environment Airports Can’t Afford to Ignore

An airport is one of the most complex RF environments on earth. Within a single facility, aviation radio frequencies coexist with radar, ATIS, ILS and VOR navigation systems, ground-control communications, private LTE and CBRS networks, passenger Wi-Fi, building automation, IoT, and the personal devices of thousands of travelers. Every system depends on spectrum. Any disruption can cascade from inconvenience to incident.

Despite this complexity, most airports lack comprehensive visibility into their RF environment. They rely on reactive troubleshooting when interference surfaces as a complaint or operational failure — often long after the underlying cause could have been identified and resolved.

DGS changes this. CLEARSITE™ and CLEARSKY™ give airport operators, airlines, and aviation stakeholders continuous, real-time intelligence about the spectrum environment they depend on.

Key Challenges

  • Complex RF mix: aviation radios, radar, cellular, WiFi, private networks, and IoT
  • Drone activity near approach paths, runways, or secure areas
  • Interference affecting ground operations, data links, or public safety communications
  • Fragmented responsibilities across airport operators, airlines, tenants, and public agencies

The Threats Airports Face in the RF Spectrum

Military UAV Drone Technology

Drone Incursions

Drones near airports are among the most disruptive and dangerous RF-enabled threats in civil aviation. Even small consumer drones can force runway closures and ground stops when detected near approach paths or restricted airspace — creating cascading delays and significant economic loss. Sophisticated incursions, whether by curious hobbyists or deliberate bad actors, require early detection to enable response.

CLEARSKY™ detects drone control links and telemetry signals before aircraft are visually identifiable, providing early warning that allows security teams to respond before a drone reaches a critical area.

Green military radar screen with unknown target dot - Safety equipment.

Radio Frequency Interference

Aviation depends on clean spectrum for safety-critical communications. Interference to VHF air-ground radio, ILS glide-path signals, ground communications, or emergency frequencies can have direct operational and safety consequences. Sources range from malfunctioning equipment and illegal transmitters to deliberate jamming.

CLEARSITE™ monitors the full RF environment continuously, detecting and geolocating interference sources before they affect flight operations — and logging forensic data for regulatory reporting and investigation.

Private Network Complexity

Airports are accelerating digital transformation: deploying private 5G networks for ground handling and baggage automation, CBRS-based operations networks, and expanding Wi-Fi infrastructure for passengers and tenants. Each new network adds to the RF complexity and creates new potential for interference and coexistence failures.

CLEARSITE™ provides the spectrum baseline and ongoing monitoring needed to validate new deployments, identify coexistence issues before they affect operations, and maintain quality of service as the wireless footprint grows.

Contraband Devices & Security Vulnerabilities

Airports are high-security environments where unauthorized wireless communications represent a genuine threat. Contraband devices in secure areas, covert communications near restricted zones, and unauthorized transmitters within the airfield perimeter are detectable by CLEARSKY™ — even when invisible to cameras and physical security systems.

What DGS Delivers

  • Continuous RF monitoring across the airfield, terminal, concourses, and perimeter
  • CLEARSKY™ drone detection: RF-based early warning before visual contact is possible
  • Interference detection, classification, and geolocation across all aviation and commercial bands
  • RF forensics capability for incident reconstruction, regulatory reporting, and investigation support
  • CLEARSITE™ performance management for private 5G, CBRS, and Wi-Fi networks
  • Contraband cellular detection in secure and restricted areas
  • Pre-deployment RF assessments for new infrastructure projects
  • Portable field kits for event-driven, construction-phase, or emergency deployments

What DGS Delivers

  • Continuous RF monitoring across the airfield, terminal, and perimeter
  • Detection and classification of drone control links and other unauthorized signals
  • RF forensics capabilities for incident reconstruction and investigation
  • RF performance and interference insights to support private 5G, CBRS, and smart airport initiatives
  • Portable kits for fast deployment during special events, construction, or emergencies

Outcome

Airports operating with DGS spectrum intelligence move from reactive to proactive. Interference is detected and resolved before it affects operations. Drones are identified before they reach the runway. Private networks perform to specification. And when incidents do occur, the forensic data to understand and report them already exists.

The result is an RF intelligence layer that underpins operational resilience, safety assurance, and the digital airport programs that modern aviation infrastructure demands.

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