Cologne/Bonn Airport and Professor Michael Schultz from the Institute of Flight Systems at the University of the German Armed Forces Munich (UniBw M) have started a cooperation to develop a digital twin of the airport. This virtual replica is intended to serve as a test environment for new technologies and accelerate their use in real airport operations.
The digital twin is being built by Professor Schultz and his team. First, the airport infrastructure and operational processes are being modelled on both the airside (apron and runway system) and the landside (passenger terminal). The aim is to create a realistic image of the airport that will enable different technologies and processes to be tested and evaluated under realistic conditions.
"Innovative technologies solve current challenges in air traffic. A digital twin not only makes it possible to test different approaches, but also to combine them with one another. Synergies can thus be used in a targeted manner and potential conflicts can be identified at an early stage," explains Professor Schultz.
One example of the application of the digital twin is the optimization of aircraft handling at the gate. Sensors are used to record the current status of the handling processes and link them to real-time data. By analyzing this data and developing predictive models, the processes are to be made more efficient.
The cooperation between Cologne/Bonn Airport and Professor Schultz has existed since 2018 and is based on joint projects. Since 2022, the partners have been working on topics such as digital passenger management, data-based aircraft handling and capacity and performance evaluations. The long-term cooperation is intended to create synergies through the continuous exchange between research and practice and to promote a deeper understanding of the possibilities and restrictions on both sides.
"The approaches identified here could become part of our everyday lives in the future as digital services - of course, as an airport we want to be involved when it comes to innovation in travel. Cologne Bonn Airport is fundamentally very interested in new technologies in aviation that constantly improve the travel experience," says Cenk Özöztürk, Managing Director of Flughafen Köln/Bonn GmbH. "The scientific results of the simulations will enable the airport to make the processes on the apron and in the terminals even more efficient and resilient in the future based on the data for passengers."
The digital twin is intended to enable Cologne/Bonn Airport to test and implement new technologies and processes quickly and cost-effectively. The close collaboration between research and practice will reduce development times and accelerate innovations. In the future, the digital twin will also be able to be used to test emergency scenarios.
The cooperation between Cologne/Bonn Airport and UniBw M is an important step towards the digitalization and modernization of the airport. By using the digital twin, processes can be optimized, new technologies evaluated and the future viability of the airport increased.