Changi Airport-EDB launch $50m programme to harness technology for airport operations

Changi Airport has deployed sensors and cameras to track the number of people in line and estimated waiting times for a cab at one of the two taxi queues at Terminal 3.

The initiative is one of several being explored as part of a new S$50 million five-year programme to harness technology and innovation to help run the airport more efficiently and make journeys hassle-free for travellers.

Changi Airport has deployed sensors and cameras to track the number of people in line and estimated waiting times for a cab. Photo courtesy: Changi Airport

The Changi Airport Living Lab Programme involves the airport working with innovation-driven companies and start-ups to develop and demonstrate new solutions in a live airport environment launched jointly by Changi Airport Group and the Economic Development Board (EDB).

Both parties sealed the cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at the airport on December 5.

The idea behind this move is to allow the airport to update commuters along with coordinating with taxi companies to ensure that there are enough cabs.

Changi Airport Group's chief executive officer Lee Seow Hiang said: "Building innovation today is critical to transforming our business and operations for the future."

EDB's chairman Beh Swan Gin said: "The Living Lab is aligned with EDB's goals of fostering a vibrant ecosystem of technology providers driving innovation and creating new businesses from Singapore."

The key technology areas which are being looked at are robotics, for example cleaning robots, to help the airport manage scarce manpower resources. Another one is the use of data analytics to find opportunities to enable a more accurate and real-time perspective of airport operations.