Coventry's Aurrigo unveils airport digital twin in US
UK-based transport company Aurrigo is set to embark on a first for the aviation sector, providing a digital twin of operations for Gerald R Ford Airport in Michigan that could provide the blueprint for airports of the future.
The Auto-Sim software should allow operators to micro-manage site operations, identify cost-saving opportunities and could stand to enhance overall customer experience while potentially laying the footprint for autonomous operations.
The project was funded via a testing grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which should allow Aurrigo to build a model of airside operations, covering roadways, intersections, stands and all operational vehicle types and movements.
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Engineering for the UK firm will be based at their hub in the UK but will keep in touch with the Airport to integrate vehicle fleet capacity and flight schedules so they can simulate airside servicing to benchmark current operations and predict future scenarios.
The platform can also simulate airside servicing to benchmark current operations and try to predict future scenarios.
“The world’s airports are all facing the same challenge of providing greater levels of customer service with the most cost-effective use of resources and minimal environmental impact. It’s a careful balancing act and one brought into even sharper focus with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic", Aurrigo CEO David Keene said in a statement.
He added: “[The Auto-Sim] allows airport planners to model the operational processes, financial implications, customer journey experience and environmental impact of implementing new technology without the risk of expensive mistakes.
“We hope it will encourage other airports within the US and around the world to utilise the Auto-SimÒ platform to streamline operations and reduce their environmental impact, whilst also providing the optimal customer experience and preparing them for future operations that involve airside automated vehicles.”
The GRF Airport is currently the second largest airport in Michigan, caters for nearly 3.6 million passengers annually and handled 41.4 million kg of air freight in 2019 alone.
Aurrigo claims the digital twin can simulate and replicate the airport's busiest periods which could account for up to 112 flights per day and up to 1,000 individual activities to factor in.
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Tory Richardson, president and CEO of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority said the scheme enables the Airport to partner with companies with a drive for innovation within the aviation sector.
“We are proud to welcome Aurrigo to our Airport to offer them the opportunity to test the Auto-Sim platform alongside our airside operations", he added.
The project should commence by the end of May 2022, and the two partners will work alongside Southwest Airlines, Stantec, Seamless and the Michigan Office of Future Mobility & Electrification.
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