It's no secret that airports need lots of data and clear communication to ensure a smooth and safe travel experience. Any lapse in communication can have a ripple effect, impacting travelers, pilots, workers and more. As tech advances, airports are evolving into "smart" airports to include artificial intelligence (AI), mobile devices and IoT technologies.
As a result, the aviation industry is more dependent than ever on a strong network connectivity architecture. Legacy connectivity frameworks can no longer efficiently handle the communication needs of today’s airport technology. Instead, airports look to lean on low latency, high bandwidth options like private 5G cellular networks as the foundation when implementing cutting-edge innovation and streamline age-old operations to truly become the connected airport of the future.
The smart, connected airport
The smart, connected airport leverages new technology to streamline age-old airport functions. For example, biometrics, such as facial technology, are now commonly used to support the boarding process and optimize security checkpoints. Retail operations, including self-serve kiosks, have become popular to facilitate seamless transactions as travelers rush to make their flights. Some airports leverage Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to track luggage in real-time and minimize the chances that bags are mishandled or lost.
The aviation industry is also embracing the rise of autonomous vehicles. For example, in Europe, a major airport is using them for both transportation — with self-driving buses and self-driving wheelchairs — as well as baggage handling with autonomous luggage carts.
Through these examples, it’s clear a smart airport can’t operate in a silo. The ability to share information in real-time, at all times, is important for each function mentioned above, and especially for communications with airlines flying into and out of an airport. Safety and security hang in the balance with airport communications, leaving little room for airports to rely completely on legacy airport connectivity options.
Why legacy airport connectivity is no longer enough
For decades, legacy systems such as Terrestrial Trunked Radio (TETRA), Project 25 (P25), and Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) have acted as the foundation of airport communications. The voice communications these systems provide are essential, but they lack the bandwidth for vital data and video communications.
To meet these communication demands, airports rely on Wi-Fi and wired connections. While these connectivity options perform admirably, there are also many instances in which the gaps in these options become evident. Wired connections are often costly and time-consuming in both deployment and maintenance. Depending on where the wires are located, they may also be susceptible to physical damage, interrupting the constant mission-critical communications airports need.
Wi-Fi also has its gaps, particularly when the use cases require device or data movement and when that data is needed in real-time. Depending on the number of Wi-Fi access points an airport has, personnel may risk losing connectivity in blackspots as mobile devices and IoT devices move through the airport. This can cause the travel experience to suffer as luggage may be lost or autonomous vehicles won’t make it to their intended destination. Private 5G is well suited to address these kinds of gaps.
Private 5G: The perfect foundation for mission-critical airport communications
The benefits of private cellular 5G are just what connected airports need — low latency, high-speed connectivity, and high bandwidth. In addition to streamlining communication and improving passenger experience, private 5G also improves deployment and operational costs. With the right private 5G solution, network operators have more control over their network. Depending on operational priority, they can dictate capacity, coverage, and network quality to certain airport functions.
When an airport leverages private 5G, there is less risk of network downtime for key airport operations from the check-in kiosk to the tarmac. For example, since private 5G needs much fewer access points to maintain connectivity, it isn’t as affected by blackspots like alternative Wi-Fi options. This means baggage personnel can continue to track luggage through RFID transmission no matter where the luggage is. The high availability of a private 5G network will also ensure network activity remains constant at security checkpoints and boarding gates to provide a seamless and safe experience for passengers.
Private 5G will become even more important as we continue to implement emerging tech and AI-driven workflows become more ubiquitous in airports. Airport personnel will make real-time decisions based on AI insights, and passengers can trust that their autonomous transportation won’t stop mid-transport or end up at the wrong location.
The budding relationship between US airports and private 5G
Now that the U.S. government has increased the availability of the Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, more airports will be able to implement private 5G to enhance their day-to-day operations. In fact, some have already begun. A top 20 international airport based in the U.S. has begun leveraging private 5G for its security cameras, outdoor mobile digital displays, and ticketing kiosks.
A leading cargo airline is also taking advantage of private 5G, implementing networks in four of its U.S. warehouses. These networks will support IoT devices such as its Zebra scanners used for tracking assets throughout the warehouses in real time.
Transitioning from legacy systems, or systems that heavily rely on Wi-Fi, won’t happen overnight. In fact, in many cases, private 5G deployments will co-exist and supplement other connectivity infrastructures. For instance, Streamwide (we have a blog publishing by mid this week that we might want to include a link to that’s on Streamwide and private 5G) and Airbus are developing solutions to promote the coexistence of TETRA and cellular networks in airports. In other words, the implementation of private 5G is worth it, but it should be a very intentional and thorough process. As the aviation industry realizes the many U.S. cases of private 5G, it will become evident that this is the network technology necessary to support the latest wave of airport innovation.
