June 02, 2014: The National Aerospace Laboratories (CSIR-NAL) and Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) have entered into deal to joint produce the NAL Drishti system, a sophisticated transmissometer for measurement of runway visual range, a critical parameter for safe landing and take-off of aircraft in poor visibility, critical to safe operations in poor visibility conditions. "The indigenous production of this high-end instrument will not only result in substantial saving of foreign exchange but will also make the country self-reliant in the field of front-end technology," says NAL. The agreement paves the way for operational deployment of Drishti system at different airports where IMD provides aeronautical meteorological services. A mega project for installing nearly 70 such systems at various airports of the country is being jointly undertaken by the two organisations. Drishti, a visibility measuring system is an innovative, indigenous product first of its kind, designed and developed by CSIR-NAL to cover the wide span of lowest to highest visibility (< 25 to > 2000 meters) aiding pilots for safe landing and take-off. Seven Drishti systems are operational already at three international airports, including Lucknow and Kolkata. Five systems are operational at India's most stringent CAT IIIB airport, Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport.