Polaris: Successful validation workshops

Polaris Validation Workshops with Isavia ANS

In February, validation workshops were conducted with Isavia ANS, where we invited air traffic controllers to evaluate the performance and functions of the Stripless version of Polaris.  The purpose was to validate implementation of concept changes to the ANS operations and major features through which it is achieved in the Polaris Product.

Validation trials like these offer a unique opportunity to collect user needs and feedback, ensuring that we are building the right product. We hosted three workshops in total, gathering valuable, insightful, and comprehensive feedback.

We were pleased to find that no major obstacles or problems were encountered. The workshop format was highly successful, with exercises designed to address many aspects of the new functions in the Stripless version. Air traffic controllers were able to test Polaris in "real-life" scenarios and experience how it can simplify air traffic management.

Observing air traffic controllers working with our systems is always a crucial milestone, and their feedback is invaluable for our future development.

One of the major results was that validations of this kind have proven its current and potential future role, by managing risks, building bridges between users and system providers and supporting informed decision making. 

Polaris ATM is a new Air Traffic Management System from Tern Systems designed to meet the demands of increasing air traffic in the future. Polaris offers a highly configurable user interface and advanced functionalities that enable users to manage complex operations with ease, enhancing operational performance, safety, and decision-making in high-pressure environments. Currently the Polaris ATM system is being developed and adapted for Isavia ANS and HungaroControl. Polaris will be deployed as a backup ATM system in Hungary in 2026 and as the primary system for approach over Keflavik and Reykjavik airports also in 2026.

Ari Guðfinnsson becomes the new Director of Technology and Infrastructure at Tern Systems

We are pleased to announce that Ari Guðfinnsson has been hired as the Director of Technology and Infrastructure. This is a new position within the organisation which is intended to sharpen the technology strategy, increase efficiency in software development, and to maximise the quality and reliability of the systems that Tern Systems delivers to its customers who operate in a strictly regulated environment.

"I am grateful for the trust shown in me with this appointment and excited to tackle new technical challenges in the development of our ATM systems. We live in times of great change, and within them lie exciting opportunities for us at Tern Systems," says Ari.

Ari has worked at Tern Systems for over 13 years and has held various technical positions related to the development of solutions for air traffic control, making him more familiar with the company's operations than most. Ari studied computer science and cognitive science at the University of Skövde and began his career in software development, where he worked on the development of radar and flight data processing systems. In recent years, Ari has worked as a technical product lead, and in that role, he has overseen product architecture and technical strategy within Tern Systems. 

“I have followed Ari's professional journey and am thrilled to welcome him to this new role at Tern Systems. Ari’s extensive knowledge of our operations and our product portfolio will be vital in supporting our growth and innovation. This appointment underscores our commitment to meeting the rigorous quality and safety standards of the aviation industry,” says Magnus Thordarson, CEO of Tern Systems.

Tern Systems designs and builds Air Traffic Management (ATM) software solutions, with nearly three decades of deliveries to customers across Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa. Tern Systems is an established provider of Air Traffic Control solutions with headquarters in Iceland and offices in Hungary and Poland. 

Polaris presentation & Demo Events for Isavia ANS

Over the past few weeks, we have hosted a series of presentations and demos for our Polaris ICE version, tailored specifically to meet the needs of Isavia ANS. It is safe to say that the presentations and demos have been a success and the feedback we have received from Isavia ANS was very encouraging. A big congratulations to our Polaris ICE Core Team, which includes employees from both Tern Systems and Isavia ANS, for their outstanding efforts in planning and executing these events. It is fair to say that both management at Isavia ANS and ATCOs have been impressed by how far Polaris has come as well as by the user experience.

“Polaris is a young product with a long history as Tern and Isavia ANS’s collaboration has spanned a couple of decades. It is delightful to be able to harvest and showcase the great amount of work invested by those two companies and the intelligence that thrives inside them. Isavia ANS’s extensive domain knowledge and vision, combined with Tern’s exceptional ability to transform these insights into a highly functional product, highlight the strength of this partnership. Polaris ICE is specifically adapted to Isavia ANS needs and the past few weeks have given us an opportunity to showcase the progress to various groups within Isavia ANS to get valuable feedback”, says Ingi Sturla Thorisson, project lead on behalf of Isavia ANS.

Isavia ANS has collaborated with Tern Systems for nearly three decades and this close collaboration has now produced a competitive ATM system that is modern, secure, and highly adaptable to the evolving needs of air navigation. “This is an important confirmation that the development of Polaris is progressing according to our expectations. During the demos we received ample feedback and suggestions that will help us to improve the Polaris ATM system even further.” Says Thor Hauksson, project lead on behalf of Tern Systems.

Polaris ATM is a new Air Traffic Management System from Tern Systems designed to meet the demands of increasing air traffic in the future. Polaris offers a highly configurable user interface and advanced functionalities that enable users to manage complex operations with ease, enhancing operational performance, safety, and decision-making in high-pressure environments. Currently the Polaris ATM system is being developed and adapted as a main ATM system for Isavia ANS and as a backup system for HungaroControl. The plan is to implement Polaris as a backup ATM system in Hungary in 2026 and as the primary system for approach over Keflavik and Reykjavik airports also in 2026.

More about Polaris ATM