In 2021, Vancouver International Airport launched an Innovation Hub. The hub was designed to foster and incubate people-first technology to advance the airport’s vision to power the future through innovation and sustainable technology solutions.
The first major product to launch from YVR’s Innovation Hub is Digital Twin, a simulation technology developed for aviation in partnership with Unity, platform for creating interactive, real-time 3D content.
A strategic collaboration between YVR and Unity will see Digital Twin capture and present data which “has never been available before.”
Digital Twin is a tool that facilitates optimization, future planning, simulation, training, and testing by aggregating and visualizing data across disparate sources. Through the integration of sensors, and historical and real-time data into the platform, the Digital Twin presents key information in 2D and 3D.
Unity has already addressed “various operational challenges amid changing aviation and travel realities” for the airpot through Digital Twin, according to a statement from the company.
For example, during the 2022 peak summer travel season, YVR’s Guest Experience Team used the Digital Twin to relieve passenger congestion at security checkpoints.
“From the beginning, YVR’s Digital Twin has been centred around our people—employees, passengers and the community,” stated Lynette DuJohn, VP of Innovation and CIO at Vancouver Airport Authority. “In bringing our Digital Twin to the global aviation market, we look forward to working with other airports, and industry partners, to positively transform the way they serve their passengers through the possibilities this exciting technology offers.”
Ryan Peterson, a Vice President at Unity, agrees that the technology is ready to market.
“Accelerating aviation’s digital transformation will have a massive, positive impact on our society, with the goal of driving efficiencies in the transport of people and goods,” stated Peterson, VP, Accelerate Solutions.
“I am very excited about Unity and YVR’s joint go-to-market plan for an airport Digital Twin platform,” he added. “The last three years have seen a tremendous amount of collaboration, boldness and vision from both organizations, and I believe this Digital Twin platform can provide incredible value to airports around the world.”
Another emerging digital-forward integration at YVR is faceprint technology from Air Canada.
It seems that artificial intelligence-based facial recognition software will soon replace your traditional passport.
“Many of our customers already utilize digital credentials to simplify their daily activities such as unlocking mobile phones, entering workplaces, verifying identification during financial transactions, and more,” Craig Landry, chief operations officer for Air Canada, explained in February.
The company says all biometric data is encrypted and stored only on the customer’s mobile phone. Customers must provide additional consent for the data to be used day-of travel “and will only be retained for up to 36 hours subject to Air Canada’s rigorous privacy and security standards.”
Air Canada plans to gradually expand digital identification options to more Canadian airports and Maple Leaf Lounges.
“We are very excited to now take a leadership position in Canada and test digital identification using facial recognition technology to validate customer identification quickly, securely, and accurately at select airport touch-points,” Landry noted.
It’s a move supported by the Canadian government in seeking to improve air transport efficiency through adoption of technology in BC and beyond.
“Our government and Canadian airlines and airports are eager to move forward with innovative solutions and technologies to modernize the traveller journey in airports across the country, which would enable a more seamless and efficient air transportation system,” stated Canada’s Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, recently.
Alghabra believes Air Canada’s pilot project will “speed up processes at YVR, and other airports where it’s established, while respecting robust privacy measures and security standards.”
“This project has great potential in making gate boarding easier and faster for Canadian passengers, while maintaining strong safety measures,” the government official said.
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