How it all began – Some milestones in our success story
July 2012
The Fraunhofer Institute (FHR) and Dirkshof combine their know-how and launch the Parasol project (passive radar-based control of aviation obstruction lighting on WT).
September 2013
In cooperation with the FHR, Dirkshof installed the first passive radar system in a wind farm in Reußenköge for a one-year test operation.
April 2014
Foundation of Parasol GmbH & Co. KG and project funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi).
November 2014
Production of the first prototype.
August 2015
General approval of the Parasol system in Germany by DFS (German Air Traffic Security) = approval level I
August 2015 - May 2018
Infrastructure for the Parasol system at the Reußenköge wind farm, completion of the operation control centre for monitoring the system, installation of new computer units as well as performance enhancement of the sensor network, long-term tests of the individual sensor clusters, test flights.
May 2018
Final recognition of the system in Germany by DFS = recognition level II
June 2018
1. optimisation of the overall system for series production
April 2020
ISO9001 certification
August 2022
German Federal Foundation for the Environment (DBU) presents a grant for the expansion of the passive radar system with the module of bird monitoring for the protection of endangered bird species
September 2022
Parasol expands product range with high-precision ADLS from Hensoldt
It is our concern to find the best possible and most efficient solution for dark nights within the existing time corridor of the legislation. We do not want to speculate whether there will be a renewed extension of the implementation period, but rather, in the interest of our community and all citizens, we want to ensure that the acceptance of the population is maintained and increased.
Having purchased the system from Parasol back in 2015, we were now able to convert the purchase contract into a Service and Installation Contract on fair terms. We are looking forward to solving this technically challenging task in cooperation with Parasol as a reliable local partner and making the nights in Medelby parish dark again.
For years, we have been campaigning for a nationwide mandatory regulation on need-based night-time aviation lighting. I am particularly pleased to be able to get to know a pioneering project in Schleswig-Holstein here at Dirkshof. I hope that further projects will follow so that it will soon be dark at night in Schleswig-Holstein - as agreed in the coalition agreement.
Press releases
August 2020 - Pressemeldung aus dem Fraunhofer Institut FHR - gelungene Markteinführung - Link
August 2020 - Parasolprojekt startet im Windpark Jalm - Link
Juni 2020 - Parsolprojekt im Norden Schleswig-Holsteins in Kirchspiel Medelby - Link
April 2020 - Weiteres Parasol Projekt in Dithmarschen geht an den Start - Link
März 2020 - Whitepaper - Parasol - die echte BNK - Link
März 2020 - Pressemeldung zur echten BNK - Link
Februar 2020 - Träger eines Großprojektes in Niedersachsen ist von Parasol überzeugt - Link
Dezember 2019 - Optimierung der Empfängereinheiten im Parasol-System abgeschlossen - Link
März 2019 - Umweltminister Albrecht startet die dunklen Nächte in den Reußenkögen - Link
November 2018 - BNK-Kooperation mit dem Österreichischen Projektierer EWS - Link
Mai 2018 - Finale Anerkennung des Parasolsystems durch die DFS - Link