Skylark Labs Installs Fixed FOD Detectors at Airports

Skylark Brings AI FOD Detection to Airports

Fixed system detects foreign object debris without vehicle patrols

Skylark Labs Fixed FOD Detection at Airport — A fixed Skylark Labs camera feeds live imagery to a ground staff dashboard while AI software automatically detects, classifies, and prioritizes debris for removal.

By Hanneke Weitering • Science & Technology Editor

March 25, 2026

Skylark Labs has begun deploying fixed foreign-object debris (FOD) detection technology at major commercial airports in India. According to the Menlo Park, California-based start-up, the stationary system uses optical sensors to autonomously monitor runways, eliminating the need for manual inspections and mobile vehicle patrols. Using adaptive AI algorithms, it identifies and classifies debris in real time and transmits precise coordinates to ground staff and air traffic control, who then dispatch personnel to remove it.

Skylark Labs’ fixed FOD detection technology is powered by the company’s Runway Monitoring Intelligence Layer (RMIL), a machine-learning platform that also underpins the company’s mobile Tracer AI Vehicles. Through the RMIL, intelligence gathered at one airport—such as debris signatures, false-positive patterns, and surface degradation indicators—is shared with every other device in the network.

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