Waste management, why it’s important and how it works

Whether you’re overseeing the operation of a company or an entire city, waste management is paramount. Waste management has an impact on many parts of our lives, including public health and cleanliness. Read on to find out more about waste management, its importance and how it works.

What is waste management?

Waste management refers to the process of ensuring that all waste is disposed of safely and responsibly. This includes organising the right machinery to deal with the waste, organising the rotas and schedules of waste management staff and establishing a logistical chain that disposes of all waste in the most appropriate manner. Waste might refer to a wide range of materials, products, and items, including packaging and food waste to industrial and mechanical waste.

Why is waste management important?

Waste management is important for several reasons, the first of which is that it keeps premises and public areas clean and tidy. A clean and tidy environment is where people want to be, so locations with good waste management will benefit from more tourism. This is the case in Qatar, which has focused greatly on public improvement in upcoming events.

Another significant benefit of waste management is that public health improves. Consider a factory, for example. Good waste management means that excess chemicals and materials are taken away from the factory floor, which reduces the risk of accidents on the property and increases the health of workers that spend less time next to waste. But waste that is disposed of safely also means that fewer chemicals are being released into the atmosphere and fewer new products are being manufactured, reducing the amount of pollution in the air.

How does waste management work?

The way that waste management works can vary depending on the type of waste in question. For the sake of this example, we’ll discuss general waste such as litter and rubbish. The first step in this waste management process is gathering the waste. In public, councils and authorities place bins on streets to collect people’s waste, encouraging them to dispose of it responsibly rather than dropping it on the ground. This significantly speeds the process up, as the public does a large part of the job out of civic pride.

After this point comes the logistics. This includes having staff members empty the bins and then transport all waste to the relevant recycling centers. Once the waste has been sorted, all recyclable waste will be distributed and reused, while the remainder will end up in landfill. While this isn’t ideal, the amount of waste being dumped in landfill has significantly dropped in recent years.

Waste management technologies in airports

Airports make use of several waste management technologies. By balancing these technologies, airports become completely clean environments and remove the risk of contamination on the property and make the quality of life within the airport far higher. Some of these technologies include:

Airport design and consultancy

The focus of the inside of an airport’s design makes a significant difference to the standard of waste management inside the airport. Airports are reliant on having plenty of receptacles in place for people to use when disposing of waste, and the earliest stages of design are an ideal point for this. By planning ahead of time for basic utilities such as waste management solutions, airports increase their chances of resolving waste management issues quickly. This is also the case in any further redesigns and when planning any and all adjustments to terminals, with waste playing a significant role in the way that people perceive airport terminals.

CCTV systems and sensors

Knowing exactly where waste is and the role it plays throughout the airport is an underlying feature of the waste management process. Understanding waste’s location means that the airport sends maintenance people out to the right places at the right times, and having items such as weight sensors in receptacles means that airports know when individual bins are full. This is ideal for airports at peak traffic times, as having a rota in place may not be enough to empty bins at the right time. Introduce smart technology and solutions into the waste management process and gain a significant competitive edge.

Maintenance staff

More effective use of maintenance staff is one of the most significant tools an airport has available to it. Maintenance crews are responsible for completing some of the more important tasks in the airport, which includes maintaining a pleasant atmosphere for all of the passengers that are taking flights that day. By working in tandem with other systems, maintenance crews react to waste accumulation and collect it, removing it from public spaces and keeping the terminal clean and tidy throughout busy traffic.

If you’re interested in learning more about how waste management systems work and how to apply them in a range of organisations, contact the Bayanat Engineering Qatar team today. We offer a number of services that can support industries in Qatar and beyond to learn more you can visit our website.

Communications in the military

Military is a serious business. Protecting the population and defending the country is not a simple task. It requires meticulous and timely responses, to prevent threats and execute tasks efficiently. For this, impeccable communication is primordial. The principle lies at the very core of the military training. Army professionals are, therefore, specifically instructed in communicating and transmitting information in a rapid, accurate and prompt manner.

However, essential human training is only a part of the equation of a correctly executed military operation. Nowadays, the army cannot function without specific and specialized technologies that will inevitably facilitate the task of information transmission and, by extent, improve the chances of a mission’s success. Therefore, many of the most efficient communication technologies have initially been created and developed for the army.

It is no secret that the military uses RADAR in many of its communication technologies, namely those specialized on detection.

On such tool is Identification, friend, or foe, more commonly referred to as IFF. It helps determine whether an aircraft is an enemy vehicle, even if it’s not in the visual range. Powerful and efficient, its origins stem from World War II. The principle is based on a signal transmission between the emitter and the flying object. The emission happens via a transponder, whose radar frequency reaches that of the target broadcaster. If the latter’s own frequency matches the emitter, it is considered friendly. If, however, the returning signal is unrecognizable, the aircraft is considered as a foe. In addition to identifying the nature of the broadcaster, the technology also determines its bearing and range. This technology is primordial in preventing threats in due time, thanks to its ability to detect the nature of the incoming airplane even before it reaches the site of the pilot.

Another very efficient and common technology used in the military is the UHF/VHF Radio communications. Several of its existing channels are dedicated purely to military use nowadays. This equipment is used to transmit messages over high ranges and long distances. Specifically, it is used for coordinating aircrafts from afar, mapping out their plan of action for the incoming operation, whether it be staying put, attacking, or changing course.

But UHF/VHF communications aren’t the only way to communicate with the airborne objects. In fact, air-to-ground communications has been constantly developing since its introduction to aerial warfare. Most recently, these technologies have implemented satellite signals in signal transmission and reception. Satellites are not merely used in GPS navigation but have also been an essential addition to accurate and timely military communication. They can transmit very accurate information about the object in question, such as its position. This is essential for an effective military operation, as it is deviating by even a degree from the right course can result in a vast difference over large distances.

Communications equipment in the military is numerous and varied and is by no means summarized by the technologies mentioned in this article. Its success in warfare has given way to its introduction into the civil aviation. Readapted for commercial and private flights, the same communications equipment is now used in everyday flights, all around the world.

To learn more about how the civil aviation makes use of these and many other technologies, visit www.bayanatengineering.qa. Bayanat Engineering is a Qatari company, specialized in solutions for oil and gas industry, military, and civil aviation. Their high-end systems are developed for a range of clients and purposes and have been largely employed in Qatar’s various infrastructures and industries.

A holistic approach to large event security with Saab

The internationally recognized football event is taking place in Qatar throughout November and December, which means that the world is looking toward Qatar to deliver an excellent experience for football fans both at home and in the stadiums. The event is a chance for the country to showcase its brilliance, but it can only do this if we work to make the World Cup as safe as possible. Qatar’s airports need to be ready for such a sharp rise in passengers, and staff members must know how they can respond to any incidents as they emerge.

Without the right approach, this event could wreak havoc upon the country’s airports, making it a big task with plenty of room for error. Staff at these venues must be aware of the many possibilities and incidents that could develop, including queues and congestion, to rowdy behaviour and even possible security threats. Airports are constantly in motion, meaning they can benefit from a centralised system which catalogues potential incidents and allows staff to instantly reallocate any available resources.

Enter Saab

This is where Saab’s Total Airport Management (TAM) comes into play, providing a robust, centralised solution where raw data becomes the foundation of the airport’s operational strategy. An integrated communication platform gives the facility’s Command and Control Centre a clear picture of everything that’s going on in the building, as well as generating a playbook to handle a litany of potential incidents. This lets the airport run more efficiently, with an increase in productivity and a reduction in delays, as well as peace of mind for everyone.

How does TAM work?

Total Airport Management begins with the planes that arrive at the airport; some of these might have a delay due to factors outside the airport’s control, while others might be carrying VIPs such as celebrities. With a strong communication system, the airport can determine how to allocate its resources, and gates, to get everybody where they need to be as quickly as possible. Baggage handling and refuelling teams, for example, can do their jobs a lot better if they have a clearer picture of when and where a flight will land.

Customs and security are the next stages where TAM revolutionises the experience, providing greater awareness of the terminals and available CCTV cameras. If there are delays with aircraft, this lets staff coordinate a response to handle the influx by opening more terminals and increasing security to limit the chances of an incident. For a medical emergency, the TAM system keeps a record of important items such as defibrillators and makes it easier for staff to know when to call an ambulance. Total Airport Management is an essential investment, one which only gets better over time, as the system analyses data to assess how the airport could improve.

Security is a major concern for any worldwide event, making it vital that airports take a holistic approach. With a Saab Total Airport Management system, you can guarantee that your airport’s stakeholders have a complete picture of everything they need to know.

Solutions in the airport

Airports are a part of all major (and now not so major) cities. Every year, millions of people pass through the gates of Hamad International Airport. Over the course of the past century, commercial flights and air travel have been democratized and adapted for the average consumer, while their cost has been, in many ways, reduced. This led to the flourishing of the tourism industry and, logically, to a higher demand on civil aviation.

While a common traveler may take the airport structure and conveniences for granted – largely thanks to this accessibility – it is important to remember that the air hubs have been equipped with a plethora of technological systems that help render travel safe, quick, and pleasant.

Communication and passenger operations

Missing a flight or a gate number is a bad idea. Fortunately, with enough attention and a sufficient time baggage, it is almost impossible nowadays, thanks to the advanced information display systems. The inner signage of the airport is omnipresent, accessible, and easy to read.

And in case one is late to their flight, advanced check-in, passenger tacking and counting systems have the travelers’ backs.

In very rare and unlikely occurrences, certain scenarios may temper with a smooth ground-to-flight transition. If ever an emergency, such as a fire, takes place on the airport grounds, its infrastructure will help alert and evacuate all the passengers and staff in due time. This is done through fire alarm and suppression systems, such as FAS and FM200.

Runway and flight solutions

Communication must be maintained not only inside the airport, but between airplanes and operators. All aircrafts should arrive on the time, air traffic must be managed, and landing and takeoff must be carried out as smoothly as possible. A timely transfer is an essential component for all these operations.

Therefore, modern airports use an entire array of solutions, such as clear runway signage, RADAR and radio-based equipment to communicate with the arriving and departing planes, as well as to give the latter clear indications about the directions they are to take.

But good communication alone isn’t enough to ensure the safe and steady passage of the flight. Meteorological and environmental conditions could impact landing and takeoff. Birds that could get in the way need to be chased off, while weather control solutions could be used to modify precipitation to a certain extent. The presence of debris may also affect clearance for airplanes. Therefore, Foreign Object and Detection systems for Runways such as Xsight have been put in place in airports, including HIA. This infrastructure helps promptly detect the location of a foreign object in question, while also alerting and archiving the data about its presence in its subsystems. The coverage of the infrastructure extends to all taxiways and runways, allowing for a much more comprehensive analysis of the plane’s on-ground and aerial environment.

Latest Solutions

It is also important to keep in mind that every year, new and updated technology appears on the market. With each innovation, each optimization, the functioning of the airport improves. Equipment such as advanced baggage handling has been an excellent helper in reducing baggage loss during transfer.

The digitalization of our daily activities has also left its mark on the airport handling, as, nowadays, it is possible to check in online, avoiding the stress and boredom of waiting in long lines. Some other new technologies have specifically been designed to answer the challenges of the big changes in global trends. The coronavirus pandemic, for one, had an immense impact to the traditional travel guidelines. Airports around the world required their passengers and staff to have a certain body temperature and no symptoms of the Covid-19 infection. A solution to this issue has been brought in the form of body-scan cameras, scattered around airports, such as the ones in Qatar International Airport. This modern equipment allowed for precise and rapid body temperature measurements. Even outside of the pandemic context, body scan cameras are a welcome and needed addition to the airport arsenal, as they may help detect dangerously high temperatures on time, potentially saving lives.

If you are a fan of the multiverse and the AI, this next solution may be your favorite! Currently, augmented reality (AR) equipment is being developed for airport use, and no, it isn’t about chasing Pokémon. AR is thought to help travelers navigate the air hubs – especially those on a larger scale – with more ease. The computer-generated directions and tips that one will see in their respective equipment will be tied to their preferences and needs and could save a lot of time when finding restrooms or a sought gate.

These solutions by no means resume the entire range of what has already integrated and what is being developed for the air hubs. One thing is for sure: these systems are an immense help to the travelers and the airport staff.

Bayanat Engineering Qatar, a company that has experience and proposes a wide range of these and other aviation solutions. Visit website at
bayanatengineering.qa

Successful World Cup – one of many wins for Qatar

Congratulations are in order as the State of Qatar has held a successful – state of the art event for the World Cup 2022 and it has been certainly fascinating to observe the preparations, development, and successful implementation of the World Cup from amazing start to the triumphant finish. Extraordinary experience from the host country for the international arena has added significance to portray themselves as major travel, entertainment, and investments destination.

Envision the future occasions happening here – example would be the Asian Cup that is awarded in Qatar for 2023 and the remarkable experience is going to deliver for it. This impeccable performance and stellar organisation by all entities involved have proven that the country and the nation are committed for growth and 2030 vision. This implies further progress, higher demand for additional advancement, diverse entertainment, and travel opportunities for even the most sophisticated tourists and investors. All of which requires tremendous effort to achieve spectacular outcome – and has been proven with the World Cup and continues to develop in all the sectors.

Stellar performance has launched opportunities for further prospects, yet the technology, infrastructure and all the advancement across all the areas is here to stay, improve and expand for years to come. It is undeniably a gain for the country and its population that the event of the international magnitude has been held.

Progress does not stop there – as we are getting ready to host the Asian Cup that is awarded, as well as to host the international events that have been occurring in Qatar – such as Total Open, MotoGP and other. This sufficiently benefits the progress, which will continue to proceed.

The successful hosting of the World Cup has certainly been a positive development for the Middle East region. It has shown the region from a different, and more positive light, as a place that can host a global event of such magnitude. It has also aided to stimulate the economy and provided the region with a platform to showcase its culture and hospitality. Moreover, preparation for the occasion has also highlighted the importance of investing in infrastructure and technology, which is something that other countries in the region can learn from.

“Bayanat Engineering Qatar is proud to have been a part of such a marvelous event and part of the preparations that have led to it. We congratulate The State of Qatar and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on such a triumph and wish further events of that magnitude to be held in the country to show the capabilities and more by the thorough preparations that have been taken place in development arrangements. We do believe that the progress will continue as there are upcoming events to be held, as well as the growth of tourism that will follow by such a magnificent occasion.

We do believe in success that will follow the country after delivering such a superb performance. Yes, Qatar has made a significant investment in developing the country for the World Cup, but this is far from over.

It is also set to host a Formula 1 Sprint venue in 2023, the 2025 World Table Tennis Championship, and the 2030 Asian Games, contributing to 2030 vision.

All these events require a great deal of investment, both in terms of infrastructure and other services, and all entities have made sure to make the necessary investments to ensure that each event is a success.

This is a testament to Qatar’s commitment to development and growth, and it will certainly benefit the country in the long run.”

Building Weather Resilience with Comprehensive Meteorological Infrastructure Programs – VAISALA

The challenge
Climate change is bringing challenges for everyone, and this is especially true for the meteorology sector. There have been twice as many weather-related deaths in the past ten years than in the 1980s, and with adverse weather events becoming more and more common, forecasting and responding to issues before they worsen is getting more important. For example, knowing about hurricanes with even more advanced warning gives people enough time to get to safety, limiting the human cost of some of the most severe adverse weather events.

Why improve these systems?
Improving the meteorological infrastructure does more than simply theoretical good, but has a major impact on some key metrics. For example, better forecasting can save thousands of lives, and businesses have far less downtime as a result of being able to prepare. Every mitigation of adverse weather provides thousands of hours of human productivity, which drives sectors such as agriculture, traffic and energy forward. With the most advanced insights, we can even make a difference in the rate of climate change across the world.

Vaisala is a weather observation organisation that is recognised as a world leader. With over 25 offices on every inhabited continent, Vaisala is offering a holistic approach that improves meteorological services and builds stability and security in the meteorological infrastructure.

The holistic process
There are six steps in Vaisala’s Meteorological Infrastructure and Capability Development (MICD) process. These are:
– Weather: Weather events start to occur, with some patterns recognisable from past events taking place in weather fronts.
– Observing: Observation systems take on the data from these fronts, including wind profiling and precipitation measurements.
– Forecasting: Using this data as a tool for creating accurate forecasts.
– Communication: Contacting and warning any potentially affected parties about the impending weather front and events.
– Action: Third-parties take action to protect their lives and their property.
– Value: The third party ends the process with greater value than if there was no intervention from the system.

Integrating all of these aspects of forecasting and meteorology into one system ensures that meteorologists are able to make a significant impact on people’s lives in a relatively short period of time.

What does Vaisala do?
Vaisala offers weather observation teams all of the tools they need for this cycle. This includes all of the necessary observation technology, along with solutions that are designed for the most challenging of environments. Not only does Vaisala offer the equipment, but logistical support is in place for the planning of your meteorological infrastructure.

These impacts have already been demonstrated around the world. For example, in the Bahamas, Vaisala supported the improvement of the observation network, developed better forecasting for the region and trained staff on all of the right devices. This support means that the islands are far less vulnerable to adverse weather events in comparison to their past experiences.

If you’re interested in installing meteorological systems, get in touch with the Bayanat Engineering Qatar team today to find out more about our services and how we can support your facility in any meteorology needs.

Ensuring safety and security ahead of Qatar World Cup

As ticket sales to the Qatar World Cup hit three million, Frequentis and Bayanat Engineering Qatar explain how scaling up control rooms is the answer to effectively supporting both planned and unplanned events.

Large, planned events, such as the World Cup, are exciting occasions that draw millions of people to one place, but this can have immense pressure on national infrastructure and emergency services. Qatar prepared its already extensive public infrastructure to handle the extra 80,000 visitors to the country in November 2021 for the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix, with investment continuing to support the millions of visitors expected to attend the World Cup, as ticket sales hit three million.

Scaling up

Qatar relies on its emergency service control rooms every day, not just before large, planned events. It ensures that emergency services are dispatched to where they need to be, in Doha and beyond, quickly, providing everything from firefighting to healthcare, as well as directing police around the busiest parts of Qatar. But during a large event, or a national crisis, extra resources are needed to immediately react to the additional critical communication needs. The Olympics and the G7 summits are just two planned events that were supported by the Frequentis multimedia communication solution which was extended with additional controller working positions to handle the increased demand.

The Frequentis solution enables agency operators to manage emergency incidents from any location, allowing organisations to scale up their operations beyond the physical borders of their control room estate.

The solution is the Frequentis 3020 LifeX, which is built on an open platform, designed to integrate seamlessly with a wide range of critical information and communication systems via common industry standards like NG999, MCX (mission critical data), VoIP (voice over IP), WebChat etc. This supports a path to a true next generation communication system, which enables members of the public to engage with the police, fire and ambulance, not only by phone but also by SMS, mobile messaging apps, pictures and video calls.

This communication solution is enriched with Bayanat Engineering Qatar’s selection of technical solutions available for control rooms. Comprehensive surveillance systems, including CCTV, are ideal for maintaining order throughout a tournament the size of the World Cup, and also for locating any potential medical issues amongst a crowd.

Be prepared

Qatar itself has earned a lot of praise for its role in preparing for the World Cup 2022 hiring more staff to provide the flexibility to manage the event and influx of people during this period.

Frequentis and Bayanat Engineering Qatar provide the required flexible and resilient solution to match this demand. While scaled up for the World Cup 2022 event, it can be scaled down after this large event and be ready to be quickly scaled up again in response to sudden unplanned events. By enabling this kind of flexibility these solutions enable public safety organisations world-wide to save money while still providing the additional capacity when it is most needed to save lives and maintain public order.

Environmental solutions in grand events

Flashy, exciting, grandiose – these are the descriptions that come to mind when one thinks about large-scale events such as shows, concerts and sports tournaments. However, over the course of the last hundred years, these events have also become synonymous with environmental damage. The increasing dispenses on entertainment, infrastructure and transport that are inevitable during such occasions, are directly linked to more air, water and noise pollution, as well as the harming of biodiversity during the infrastructure construction.

Nevertheless, this increase in spending on large-scale events has been paralleled by a rising awareness about the importance of environment protection. Nowadays, such events attract a lot of negative reactions and critiques due to their unsustainable conception and constriction methods. The latest reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are pounding the alarm. There is no dancing around the need to reduce the global carbon emissions.
This is why, nowadays, many event organizers take into a particular consideration the environmental impact of their projects.

While there is still a lot of work to be done in terms of reducing costs, ensuring low pollution levels, as well as work safety and equality, when it comes to large scale events, new solutions have been evoked and implemented by many different countries.

For instance, the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is going to be the first of its predecessors to operate on 100% clean and sustainable energy in every one of its sectors. This will involve transportation, construction materials, food, as well as a creation of a diverse habitat on the Olympic sites of the Parisian region.

It is clear that clean energy and sustainable development are at the heart of the transition towards a more environmentally friendly future. In the preparations for the World Cup, Qatar has too adapted some of these principles to work towards a lower ecological impact. The distance between the different venues of the tournament is within a short distance between one another, which makes Qatar the first country that would not have nor require flights to travel between the stadiums. While the geographical scales of the country have played a large part in facilitating this goal, the government’s public’s public transport initiatives have been in line with the eco-friendlier guidelines. Namely, the construction of the metro and the installation of shuttle buses that lead to its stations. Qatar Rail is a more sustainable and often time-efficient transportation methods for a larger number of people that drastically reduces carbon emissions, when compared to air travel.

In addition, 25% of Qatari public transport has been restricted to green energy use only. This falls in line with Qatar’s pledge to host the first ever carbon neutral World Cup. Electrified buses are said to be used during the event, making the Qatari championship a pioneer in the green transport field.

Other vehicles, such as government school buses and Mowasalat (Karwa) taxis have adapted or are currently in the process of converting to the new energy modes.

The stadiums of the World Cup Qatar have also been given a sustainable design, while dust management and reduction have been prioritized. Where possible, the country has also adapted sustainable energy, generated through solutions such as solar batteries.

But the venues aren’t the only ones undergoing the ecological transformation. A plethora of green initiatives has been launched by the Qatari government in past couple of years.

Hamad International Airport has recently been commended for going through with its commitment to environmental policies and achieving zero landfill.

During landscaping of the airport, a certain amount of green waste has been produced – but none shall be lost! The air hub is currently recycling the waste into organic compost, which will be later reused for planting and replenishing green spaces on airport grounds, as well as provided to third parties. Yearly, this project promises to generate nearly 4000 tons of organic compost.

Other recycling initiatives have also been put in place all around the country. From private businesses to large government institutions, many enterprises are seeking to promote sustainability via different recycling projects. Al Meera Consumer Goods Company has launched a bottle-recycling campaign that encourages its clients to dispose their plastic containers in recycling machines, available at 21 different Al Meera spots. The results have so far been staggering, with 20 million plastic containers reconverted!

The Qatar National Environment and Climate Change Strategy that has been launched recently has already borne fruit, with thousands of tons of waste material recycled, as per the 2021 Center of Waste Management report. Parallel to the work being done, awareness about the importance of adapting a sustainable lifestyle is being raised by the State of Qatar.

For the World Cup, the Ministry of Municipality aims to recycle and reuse 60% of the waste produced during the football tournament.

It is crucial that the entire framework of large-scale events become eco-friendly in the shortest amounts of time. This is why many engineering companies are currently developing systems that could answer the challenge and give way to a more sustainable future. Bayanat Engineering Qatar, a commercial engineering enterprise has a catalogue of environmental solutions that could be implemented in large scale events and day-to-day occasions. For more information, visit www.bayanataengineering.qa

Radars: The use of L-bands

Today, we see radars everywhere. It is an essential component of surveillance systems across many industries. But to understand its use, we need to first explain what a radar is. It is a technology that detects presence, distance, direction and velocity of objects, by sending out radio waves and receiving their reflection from the detected body.

The radar uses are therefore vast and spread out throughout different industries.

In military use, there is an array of various radars. The surface movement and the primary surveillance radars have a function of sensing objects in the vicinity, notably under obscure weather conditions. The secondary surveillance radars work in a similar manner, but are airborne, which allows them to transmit the detected signals to the detectors on the ground.

In the oil and gas industry, they can be used to scan the ground for irregularities that determine the presence of oil and gas fields and act as a part of the communication system of the sector.

Air traffic management is yet another domain that heavily relies on radars. Just like in the military, the radars are used in aviation to detect planes and coordinate timely responses with the airborne and ground-based crafts. Used in conjunction with the multi-lateration systems (MLAT/WAM, these radars allow for safer circulation of aircrafts and vehicles.

As we will see later, radars can also be used in meteorology. A special L-band type is often employed in this sector.

The L-band
First of all, L-band is a range of frequencies. These operate at 1-2 Ghz of the radio spectrum and possess a wavelength of 30-15 cm. It is thanks to its low frequency, that L-band is so frequently used in radars and other technology, such as radio, telecommunications and global positioning systems (GPS).

The radars that operate with L-bands, are specifically used in the meteorological field. For instance, the clear air turbulence studies employ these radars to measure the fluid motion of air masses in absence of visual clues. When clear air-turbulence occurs in the range of commercial flights or any other aircrafts, it could be dangerous for comfort or even safety. It is therefore essential to monitor it via radars with L-bands specific frequency range.

However, the use of the L-band radars isn’t purely limited to meteorology. They could be found in low-Earth orbit satellites, helping monitor the state of equipment from far away locations. They are also used in military equipment.

Other types of radars use or have formerly employed other forms of frequency ranges, such as the C-band or the now obsolete D-band. This is because various frequencies serve various purposes and are employed according to their field of necessity.

Cloud Seeding

From the dawn of time, various civilizations sought to predict weather, but never truly to change it. Would you be surprised that in today’s day and age, marked by technology and innovation, humankind gets another attempt at it.
No, it isn’t any esoteric or tribal practice. “Cloud seeding” is a way to modify the amount of precipitation, by dispersing specific substances into the air that alter the cloud formation processes. These could be related to cloud condensation or ice particles. And though, to this day, the practice has shown varying effectiveness, while its risk to health remains undetermined, it is already a helper in various industries and sectors, including water challenge solutions, environmental protection and aeronautics, just to name a few.

In Weather control

Doesn’t everyone love good weather? For many countries around the world, this may be a rather rare occurrence. Some are now trying to implement cloud seeding technology to improve their natural meteorological conditions.

The United Arab Emirates are already using the system to create fake rain. Just like the other countries of the Arabian Peninsula, its temperatures could rise up to 50°C in Summer, while the natural precipitation remains extremely low, less than 100 mm of rainfall per year on average. Cloud seeding becomes an innovative and promising solution that could definitely improve the quality of life. The country’s goal, since the beginning of their investments in the 9 rain-making projects in 2017, is to increase the existing rainfall by another 100 mm.

In Aeronautics

Let us take the example of the aviation industry to better illustrate the importance of cloud seeding. It is a fact that good weather conditions are directly likely to a smoother flight. With fog and strong rains being in the way of the aircraft, the visibility may drastically reduce. A factor which may become a safety concern.

Of course, airports and other air hubs are equipped with specialized lighting and signage to increase visibility in unfavorable weather conditions during takeoff and landing. However, once the plane is in the air and far from the ground, the terrestrial solutions no longer serve their purpose.

This is why specialized cannons and airplanes are employed by the airports and air hubs to shoot out and diffuse microparticles into the air.

Cannons affect clouds that are typically closer to the ground. As for the aircrafts, these are used on much higher altitudes thanks to their airborne dispersal and ability to gain height.

Thanks to this developing but promising technology, fog could be turned into rain, for better visibility. It could also improve safety by decreasing the number of hail particles and turning them into raindrops.

Finally, it all comes back to the start. In other words, to weather predictions. If you can alter it, you can predict it better! And accurate weather forecasts are essential to good traffic management. Perhaps the next time you pass through rainy weather conditions on a commercial flight, it will have been modified by the innovative technique of cloud seeding.