BDI Selected to Design, Fabricate, and Install First-in-Nation Runway Pavement Sensor System at Charlotte Douglas International Airport
BDI (Bridge Diagnostics, Inc.), a national leader in structural monitoring, instrumentation, and analysis, today announced its role as the instrumentation partner for a groundbreaking runway pavement sensor system at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). The project, unveiled at a press event on April 27, 2026, represents the first deployment of its kind in the United States and is part of CLT’s $1 billion fourth parallel runway, scheduled to open in September 2027.
Under the project scope, BDI will design, fabricate, install, and commission a comprehensive pavement monitoring system consisting of approximately 2,000 sensors embedded in the north end of the new 10,000-foot runway. The system will capture real-time data on pressure during takeoffs and landings, pavement temperature, moisture levels, and icing conditions, giving airport operators and researchers an unprecedented window into runway performance.
BDI’s scope encompasses the full lifecycle of the monitoring system: final system design and engineering, procurement and fabrication at BDI’s Louisville, Colorado facility, on-site sensor installation and cable routing, data acquisition system deployment, site acceptance testing, and a secure web-based data portal with automated data delivery to UNC Charlotte and CLT operations. BDI will also provide two years of ongoing monitoring, maintenance, and data hosting following system activation.
The $6.5 million instrumentation initiative is funded through a combination of a $2 million FAA Airport Concrete Pavement Technology Program grant, UNC Charlotte’s Division of Research funds, and airport funds. The project is a cornerstone of the UNC Charlotte AIR (Aviation Innovation & Research) Institute, a joint research partnership between the university and CLT.
“This project is a defining moment for BDI and for the future of airport infrastructure monitoring,” said Darwin Nelson, CEO of BDI. “We’ve spent decades building expertise in structural health monitoring for bridges and critical airport infrastructure, and the opportunity to bring that knowledge to the aviation sector at this scale is extraordinary. The sensor system we’re delivering at Charlotte Douglas International Airport will generate the kind of real-time pavement performance data that has never been available to airport operators before. We’re proud to be part of a project that will set a new national standard.”
The April 27 press event at CLT’s airport overlook brought together airport leadership, university officials, and researchers to mark the launch of the sensor initiative. Jack Christine, CLT’s Chief Infrastructure Officer, emphasized the operational impact of the monitoring system.
“The real-time data we’re going to get on things like temperature and moisture, we’ll use that in everyday operations,” Christine said during the event. “Everybody is going to be excited to be able to get that data once we get the runway open.”
CLT is one of the busiest airports in the world, with more than 574,000 aircraft operations in 2025 and passenger volumes consistently ranking among the top ten in the U.S. The new fourth parallel runway will increase capacity for takeoffs and landings while reducing delays and improving safety.
Beyond its immediate operational value, the sensor system will serve as a living laboratory for UNC Charlotte faculty and students, generating research data for FAA airfield pavement criteria and long-term infrastructure planning. Sensor installation is expected to begin in May 2026, with the monitoring system fully operational ahead of the runway’s September 2027 opening.