Advancing Airport Safety: How AI Can Help Airports Improve FOD Detection & Management

Bridging the gaps in airport FOD detection and management with InspectExᴬᴵ and FODᴬᴵ

Foreign Object Debris (FOD) - anything from more common items like pieces of loose pavement and metal fasteners to more uncommon items like fish and ladders - poses a serious threat to airport safety and efficiency. A single piece of debris can damage aircraft engines, delay flights, or worse, leading to billions in losses annually. Airports rely on a combination of detection methods and management programs to keep runways, taxiways, and aprons safe, but these approaches often fall short. In this two-part blog series, we’ll dive into these challenges and look at how InspectExᴬᴵ and FODᴬᴵ are transforming FOD management. This first post explores the current landscape and our AI-based solution, paving the way for an exciting Beta Program reveal in part two.

High Stakes of FOD Detection

Effective FOD management isn’t just about compliance, it’s about protecting lives and assets. Airports employ various detection methods to spot debris, but each comes with limitations that create gaps in safety and efficiency. These gaps ripple into broader FOD management programs, which struggle to turn fragmented efforts into proactive solutions. We’ll take a look at the tools airports use today and why they’re only part of the answer.

Existing FOD Detection Methods are a Patchwork of Solutions

Airports deploy a range of technologies and techniques to combat FOD, but none fully solve the problem:

Manual Visual Inspections

Staff walk or drive across paved surfaces, visually scanning for FOD. It’s low-cost but labor-intensive, and less effective in poor visibility—think fog, rain, or nighttime.

Radar-Based Systems

mm-wave radar options offer continuous monitoring. Yet, their multi-million-dollar price tags and need for radar towers put them out of reach of most airports.

Camera-Based Systems

High-resolution cameras, whether fixed or mobile, often operate without cloud-based integration. This limits long-term data access and analysis, reducing their ability to support proactive decision-making.

Automated Detection Systems

These systems rely on a combination of sensors to enhance FOD detection accuracy, but are fixed in place along edges of runways or taxiways, leading to high hardware costs and frequent repair of damaged systems.

Sweeping and Magnetic Systems

These effectively remove debris but do not provide real-time detection. Identifying and logging the types of FOD collected would require manual effort, making the process slow and inefficient.

These methods offer detection options but require balancing cost, coverage, and consistency. Manual inspections miss too much, advanced systems cost too much, and no single approach works reliably in all conditions. This is why airports rely on FOD management programs to integrate detection, response, and prevention into a cohesive strategy. However, these programs still face challenges.

Where FOD Management Programs Can Break Down

Regulations like FAA Part 139 in the U.S. and Transport Canada TP312 require airports to maintain debris-free movement areas through regular inspections and maintenance. Effective programs track and analyze FOD data to identify trends and mitigate risks. In practice, gaps remain, with inconsistent implementation and limited use of data-driven insights for proactive management.

Inconsistent and Manual Data Logging

Many airports still rely on spreadsheets or even paper logs for FOD tracking, leading to incomplete or inconsistent records. Without automation, data is often lost or inaccurately reported.

Failure to Use Data for Prevention

While logs are maintained, the information is often not effectively analyzed to identify trends or predict future risks. Airports remain reactive, addressing FOD only after incidents occur rather than preventing them.

Prioritizing Immediate vs. Proactive Action

Large hazardous debris must be removed immediately to prevent aircraft damage, while small, non-hazardous debris near runway edges doesn’t require instant action but helps track trends. Effective FOD management distinguishes between these, enabling scheduled retrieval when needed.

Variability in Implementation Across Airports

Some airports invest in automated FOD detection, but most systems only monitor runways, lack integrated data logging, or operate in isolation from broader management programs. Many others meet only minimum regulatory requirements, relying on inconsistent manual inspections. This fragmented approach leaves gaps even at high-tech airports, while smaller airports struggle to adopt effective solutions.

These inefficiencies mean that while airports are required to track FOD, their ability to turn data into action is often limited. Instead of a truly integrated solution, many programs end up as compliance-driven exercises rather than proactive safety measures.

How InspectExᴬᴵ and FODᴬᴵ Close the Gaps

The flaws in today’s FOD detection and management are clear: inconsistent coverage, high costs, and data that’s hard to use. InspectExᴬᴵ with FODᴬᴵ step in as a unified, AI-powered solution that not only overcomes these challenges but turns FOD management into a proactive strength. Our Standard and Premium offerings ensure that all airports, regardless of budget, can implement advanced FOD detection in a way that fits their needs.

Cost-Effective Coverage for All Airports

Unlike radar systems requiring millions in investment, InspectExᴬᴵ deploys on existing inspection vehicles, covering the entire airfield multiple times daily at about 1/10th the cost. Airports with smaller budgets can start with our Standard package, which delivers essential FOD detection, while larger airports can opt for the Premium version, incorporating additional Detectors, more sensors, and faster inspection cycles.

Generalized Detection Across Airports

InspectExᴬᴵ with FODᴬᴵ ensures consistent and high-quality FOD detection at every airport. Regardless of whether an airport previously relied on manual inspections or had partial automation, InspectExᴬᴵ is easy to insert into existing workflows. Moreover, FODᴬᴵ establishes a uniform level of accuracy and reliability, with AI-driven FOD detection that is generalizable across airports.

Automated Data Logging for Compliance and Analytics

The system automatically logs detections into InspectEx Cloud, eliminating manual entry errors and ensuring that all airports—large or small—can access structured, real-time data for FOD tracking, compliance, and trend analysis.

Seamless Integration with Existing FOD Programs

Whether an airport is upgrading from manual inspections or enhancing an existing automated system, InspectExᴬᴵ integrates into existing workflows, ensuring easy adoption without operational disruptions.

Scalability for Different Operational Needs

Airports can start with FODᴬᴵ detection only and expand their system over time to include additional sensors, additional Detectors like perimeter and intrusion detection (PIDSᴬᴵ) and others under development, together with advanced analytics. Larger airports can benefit from higher-speed scanning and more extensive sensor arrays, while smaller airports can implement AI-powered detection with easy .

By providing a flexible and scalable solution, InspectExᴬᴵ and FODᴬᴵ help airports eliminate the variability in FOD management programs, ensuring that all facilities—regardless of size or budget—have access to advanced, AI-driven FOD detection. This levels the playing field, improving safety outcomes across the industry.

Coming Soon: Our Beta Program

We’re excited to bring this technology to airports worldwide, and in our next post, we’ll unveil our Beta Program—an exclusive chance to test InspectExᴬᴵ and FODᴬᴵ in action at no cost to you. Stay tuned for Part 2 to learn how your airport can be part of this transformation in airfield safety and efficiency.