Malaysia to Launch Asia-Pacific's First Remote Digital Tower at Penang Airport in October
Why It MattersThe rollout signals a broader regional shift toward camera-and-sensor-based remote tower technology as an alternative to traditional visual air traffic control at busy airports.
Malaysia's Civil Aviation Authority (CAAM) will launch the country's first Remote Digital and Virtual Tower (RDVT) at Penang International Airport in October, marking the first such system in the Asia-Pacific region. Unlike conventional towers relying on direct visual contact, the RDVT uses cameras and sensors to display the airfield on high-definition digital screens, letting controllers zoom in on aircraft more than eight nautical miles (14.8 km) away and attach digital labels to aircraft, a feature useful in poor visibility from rain, haze or fog.
CAAM deputy chief executive officer Zainul Abidin Maslan said the technology enhances operational efficiency and safety. All 29 air traffic controllers at Penang International Airport, which handles about 180 flights daily, have undergone extensive training, along with controllers at the Kuala Lumpur Air Traffic Control Centre. The system will undergo testing and validation against international aviation safety requirements before operations begin.
CAAM plans to establish a similar system in Johor Bahru, expected to be operational by 2028 at the earliest, with a long-term goal of consolidating peninsula air traffic control at a single remote centre, alongside separate centres for Sabah in Kota Kinabalu and for Sarawak. CAAM technical division air navigation services director Mohd Fikri Ishak said Penang was chosen for its strategic importance and ongoing airport expansion, and stressed the technology is meant to equip controllers with modern tools, not replace them. Similar remote tower systems have been implemented at London City Airport and in Sweden and Norway.
