SkyCast is India's first integrated aviation weather intelligence system, launched at Delhi's IGI Airport under Mission Mausam. It uses advanced remote-sensing technologies to provide real-time alerts for fog, wind shear, and turbulence, significantly enhancing flight safety.
The Union Government inaugurated India's first integrated aviation weather intelligence system, 'SkyCast', at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (iGI) Airport.
The Ministry of Science and Technology inaugurated India’s first SkyCast system at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport.
The government implements this advanced weather facility under the Mission Mausam initiative to modernize India's atmospheric monitoring capabilities.
Authorities plan to expand the system soon to Jewar Airport, followed by installations in Ahmedabad, Varanasi, and other cities.
Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL) operates the current facility to handle its massive daily volume of over 1,300 flight movements.
Core Objectives
SkyCast serves as an integrated aviation weather intelligence and automated nowcasting facility.
The system provides real-time weather intelligence to pilots and air traffic controllers to drastically reduce flight delays, diversions, and cancellations caused by poor visibility.
The facility strengthens runway safety, enhances air traffic flow management, and supports proactive disaster preparedness during adverse weather conditions.
Technological Framework
SkyCast integrates multiple advanced atmospheric remote-sensing technologies to deliver high-resolution profiling,:
Key Capabilities and Hazard Detection
The system assesses atmospheric conditions from the surface up to 10 kilometers altitude for accurate thermodynamic profiling.
SkyCast detects and issues real-time alerts for critical aviation hazards, including wind shear, fog, temperature inversions, low-level jets, icing, and turbulence,.
The platform feeds operational tools like the Integrated Wind Shear Alerting System (IWAS),.
The facility generates short-term operational broadcasts that update automatically every five minutes.
Scientific Foundation
The Winter Fog Experiment (WiFEX) establishes the core scientific foundation for the SkyCast system.
The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) jointly launched WiFEX in 2015 to research fog formation, visibility reduction, and urban boundary-layer processes.
Global Standing
India becomes the 19th country in the world to deploy this level of advanced atmospheric remote-sensing technology.
Similar systems operate at leading global hubs like Heathrow (UK), John F Kennedy (US), Singapore Changi, Hong Kong International Airport, and NASA launch facilities.
Source: pib
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements regarding the 'SkyCast' system recently inaugurated in India:
Which of the statements given above is/are correct? A) 1 only B) 2 only C) Both 1 and D) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: C Explanation: Statement 1 is correct: SkyCast is indeed an advanced, integrated aviation weather intelligence and nowcasting facility that was installed and inaugurated at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport. India became the 19th country globally to deploy this technology. Statement 2 is correct: The entire system was developed under the central government's 'Mission Mausam' initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and its associated research bodies like the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM). |
SkyCast is India's first integrated aviation weather intelligence and nowcasting facility designed to continuously monitor atmospheric conditions and provide real-time alerts for critical aviation hazards.
The first system was inaugurated at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi.
The facility combines advanced tools like a Radar Wind Profiler, Microwave Profiling Radiometer, SODAR, Ground-based Fog Aerosol Spectrometer (GFAS), and a CL61 Lidar-based Ceilometer.
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