Naviq joins Airports AI Alliance to help scale airport AI

Naviq has joined the Airports AI Alliance (AAA), with the recently launched company focusing on helping airports move artificial intelligence beyond individual trials and into day-to-day operations.

The company sees operational predictability, better use of airport data and the modernisation of legacy technology as key areas where AI can have an impact.

Naviq was launched in July as part of IBS Group and works with airports on areas including legacy system modernisation, cloud migration, operational data and AI. Its work is increasingly focused on how airports can connect those areas rather than treating AI as a series of separate technology projects.

“Airports are modernising their legacy airport technology, and that spans from airport operational databases [AODB] to all kinds of supporting systems, on-prem to cloud migrations and bringing in new state-of-the-art SaaS solutions into their environment,” Kay Hellwig (pictured), Director of Sales, Europe and Africa at Naviq, told the Alliance.

“We help airports to anticipate disruptions rather than just react. How they can make better use of operational data, data and AI is a big topic, and we want to help them move from individual POCs to really an enterprise AI use that brings value to the airport.”

Hellwig highlighted a recent project where Naviq worked with a customer that already had the information it needed but faced difficulties using it across different systems.

“The data is scattered across systems,” he said. “We have invested in a platform that accelerates bringing data together using AI.”

According to Hellwig, the approach allowed the customer to combine information from different sources three to five times faster than through a conventional data lake development process. Naviq then added pre-built key performance indicators and a platform on which further AI use cases could be developed.

“They’ve used that to create new KPIs that help them steer the business better and make better and faster decisions in their operational day-to-day work,” he said.

Hellwig sees further opportunities where information is held by different organisations across the airport ecosystem, including airports, airlines and ground handlers.

“Sharing data is important because then you can gain other insights and you can optimise the system overall,” he said.

On the commercial side, Hellwig pointed to greater data exchange with airport retailers as another potential application. He said this would require appropriate platforms, a shared understanding of the benefits and sufficient trust between the organisations involved.

The company will use its AAA membership to bring experience from its work across aviation into discussions with airport members, while also gaining a clearer picture of where deployments are working and where gaps remain.

“It’s about really openly discussing what is happening, what works well, what doesn’t work well, best practice exchange, and that’s where we can contribute with our domain experience,” Hellwig said.

That experience includes work with airlines and ground handlers, which could provide another perspective on challenges involving multiple parts of the aviation ecosystem. Naviq also wants to test its own understanding of those challenges directly with airports.

“While we do a lot of research and we have industry experts, it’s always good to mirror our understanding and our view with the airports and see whether that’s the right thing or where else do we need to look,” Hellwig said.

Hellwig said the changes facing airports extend beyond individual technology deployments and system upgrades.

“What will happen is not just product replacements at airports,” he said. “It’s really changing how they work.”

Image: Naviq