Foreign Object Debris Detection in Aviation: AI Methods for Safer Airports and More Reliable Aircraft Operations
Foreign Object Debris is one of the most persistent and costly safety threats in aviation, capable of damaging engines, puncturing fuselages and causing operational delays. Modern airports invest heavily in FOD prevention, but manual inspections and ground patrols cannot guarantee complete coverage across large airfields. This article explains how FOD forms, why it remains a major safety concern and how AI powered detection systems improve accuracy across runways, taxiways and apron areas. It also explores how annotated datasets are created for FOD detection, how real time computer vision models interpret debris and how airports integrate automated systems into existing inspection workflows. The article concludes with an overview of AI’s future role in reducing FOD related incidents.
