A Single Missing Ladder Could Have Major Consequences

Achieving a comprehensive understanding of the essential assets for a specific flight is challenging, particularly in assessing potential risks related to departure or customer service due to asset unavailability. For example, portable step ladders for aircraft must be accessible during both takeoff and landing. A delay in obtaining a ladder could result in operational delays for the flight. Additionally, there are numerous other movable assets such as luggage trolleys, wheelchairs, dollies, fuel trucks, and catering trucks. Effectively tracking these assets can not only prevent delays but also enhance asset utilization. Ultimately, this contributes to quicker gate turnarounds, thereby improving the overall customer experience. It is crucial for operations and customer service executives to have complete visibility of each asset, including its location and availability at the appropriate gate or stand.

Benefits of Automated Asset Tracking Systems

The advantages for organizations implementing an automated asset tracking system are undeniably significant. Among the key benefits are:

1. Opportunity to Reduce Administrative Costs

Leveraging an asset management system significantly contributes to lowering administrative expenses. Rather than dedicating staff to manage each asset within the organization, asset management software can provide the necessary support. Manual tracking, which relies on human resources, is a primary factor in time inefficiencies. Furthermore, the potential for human error and energy theft can lead to additional complications. Automated asset tracking systems minimize the likelihood of mistakes, allowing company personnel to focus on more critical tasks that require human intervention.

2. Development of Regulation

It is essential to register and monitor every asset within the organization. Asset tracking, tailored to various industries, must comply with different regulatory frameworks. For instance, companies utilizing asset tracking systems for forklifts in a manufacturing setting can efficiently monitor their performance, location, and maintenance schedules through advanced automation. Similarly, organizations handling hazardous materials are mandated by law to implement asset tracking. Monitoring substances that pose risks to the environment and public health is crucial for maintaining a safe operational environment. Asset tracking systems can be easily customized to meet diverse regulatory requirements, making them highly beneficial for organizations across different sectors.

3. Establishing Asset Dominance

Failing to implement a system for monitoring your organization's assets significantly increases the risk of damage, misuse, or loss. Asset management solutions enable you to thoroughly assess your assets, providing clarity on their location, condition, and accountability. Efficient asset utilization is achievable through asset tracking systems, which facilitate the establishment of asset control and the execution of strategic initiatives grounded in essential data. With asset tracking, you gain access to precise and current information, empowering you to make informed business decisions with confidence.

A Single Real-time View of Assets

Our solution integrates Infosys’ Location-Based Service (LBS) platform with RFID, IoT, and the Infosys Enterprise Cognitive Platform (iECP), alongside existing tracking technologies like IoT sensors, beacons, and GPS for effective asset monitoring and tracking in airports. Once an asset is set up, it can be visualized graphically on the airport map, regardless of the tracking technology employed. Analytics can assess whether the asset's location poses a risk of delaying an aircraft's departure or arrival. Additionally, the system includes a dashboard view and features for automatic tracking and alerts.

Our solution is designed on an open-source microservices architecture, which enhances its configurability, cloud readiness, and flexibility, allowing seamless integration with leading commercial planning systems. It is compatible with top-tier IoT sensors and beacons. We have utilized Mapbox, an open-source mapping platform for creating customizable maps, to develop airport layouts for several major US airports, employing real-time overlay projections to visualize assets on the ground.

This approach enables the tracking of unavailable or misrouted assets, providing a unified real-time overview of all assets. Airlines have a significant opportunity to enhance asset optimization through improved planning. Automated asset tracking and smart asset monitoring can significantly boost airport efficiency, ultimately resulting in increased customer satisfaction and higher revenue.

Challenges around Moving Assets

The primary difficulties in monitoring assets related to airports or airlines include:

- Asset ownership: A significant portion of the assets is not possessed by the airlines or airports.
- Air travel growth plan: According to industry projections, air traffic, encompassing both passengers and flights, is expected to double over the next twenty years, leading to increased congestion that will negatively impact On Time Performance (OTP).
- There are challenges in adopting technology due to regulatory requirements and weather-related limitations.
- Infrastructure: The installation and certification of hardware involve substantial costs and efforts, along with asset owners' apprehensions regarding additional devices.

We advocate for operations staff to have access to a real-time overview of movable assets and personnel through digital displays that are integrated with planning and scheduling software. This integration ensures that any discrepancies from the plan—such as delayed ULD movements, extended fuel truck service times, cargo temperature fluctuations in cold storage, or shortages in ground handling personnel—are consolidated into a single interface that can be monitored at every gate. How automated asset tracking systems can help airports operate more efficiently is explained in detail in today's article by marchcroft. Our sole aim is to reach you with the latest information in AI, automation and technology.