Over 20 million passengers use the airport annually, and their number increases by more than 10 percent

Question:

Over 20 million passengers use the airport annually, and their number increases by more than 10 percent every year. Obviously, the number of flights is large and also increasing annually. The growth increases air pollution as well. The airport has a strong commitment to environmental protection, so management has looked for an environmental control solution.
The objective was to make the airport carbon neutral. The large number of planes in the air and on the ground and the fact that airplanes frequently move require advanced technologies for the solution.
The Solution
A reasonable way to deal with moving airplanes was to use IoT, a technology that when combined with AI-based sensors enables environmental monitoring, analysis, and reporting, all of which provide the background information for decisions regarding minimizing the air pollution.
Two companies combined their expertise for this project: EXM of Greece, which specializes in IoT prediction analytics and innovative IoT solutions, and Libelium of the United States, which specializes in AI-related sensors, including those for environmental use. The objective of the project was to properly monitor air quality inside and outside the airport and to identify, in real time, the aircraft location on the ground and to take corrective actions whenever needed.
Ad Hoc Air Quality Monitoring and Analysis
The airport now has an air quality monitoring network.
The solution includes Libelium's sensor platform connected in a cost-effective manner. The different sensors measure temperature, humidity, atmosphere pressure, ozone level, and particulate matter. The readings of the sensors are transmitted to IoT for reporting and then analysis. The sensors were improved by using AI features. Therefore, their accuracy increased. In addition, security and energy consumption are also being controlled.
Aircraft Location at the Airport
To identify the exact location of the aircrafts during takeoff and landing, the project uses acoustic measurement mechanisms. This is accomplished by using noise sensors placed in different locations.
The sensors measure real-time noise level, which is evaluated by analytics. Overall, the system provides a noninvasive IoT solution.
Placement of sensors was difficult due to safety, security, and regulation considerations.
Therefore, the sound monitoring subsystem had to be self-managed (autonomous), bearing solar panels and batteries that provided the electricity. In addition, the system utilizes a dual wireless communication system (known as GPPS).
The collected noise data are correlated with types of airplane and flights at the IoT backend.
All data are analyzed by the airport environmental department and used for decisions regarding improvements of pollution control.
Technology Support
The solution combines an IoT system with AI-based analytics, visualization, and reporting and is executed in the cloud. In addition, the system has onsite sensors and communication infrastructures.
Low-power wireless sensors monitor water and gas consumption indoors as well as air quality in the parking sites. Vendors' products, such as Microsoft Azure and IBM Bluemix, support the project and provide the necessary flexibility.
Sources: Compiled from Hedge (2017) and Twenty man (2017).