What technology is used to guide aircraft to their landing?

The Instrument Landing System (ILS) is the technology specifically designed for guiding aircraft during their landing phase, particularly under low visibility conditions. It provides precise navigational information through two main components: lateral guidance and vertical guidance. The localizer gives the horizontal position of the aircraft relative to the runway centerline, allowing pilots to align with the runway, while the glideslope offers vertical guidance to ensure that the aircraft descends at the correct angle.

While the autopilot system does assist in controlling the aircraft during flight, it relies on guidance information, such as that provided by ILS, to perform landings effectively. The Global Positioning System (GPS) offers geolocation capabilities and can support approaches, but it does not provide the same precision as ILS for landing in all conditions. The radar landing system is another technology used for aircraft guidance, primarily in specific operational environments, but ILS remains the standard for precision approaches globally, making it the method most closely associated with landing guidance.