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Building a shared solution for sustainable airport operations.
Sumitomo Corporation has begun a demonstration project as part of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' FY2025 supplementary budget "Regional Community DX Promotion Package Project," in collaboration with 19 airports nationwide, to improve the maintenance and inspection of airport facilities and airport operations using AI.
In recent years, the shortage of personnel responsible for airport equipment maintenance and operation has become increasingly serious. Regional airports, in particular, with limited air travel demand, face a heavy burden of equipment maintenance and renewal costs, making it difficult to individually implement systems to improve operational efficiency. To address these challenges, Sumitomo Corporation is developing a solution based on joint development and shared use by multiple airport operators, aiming to reduce implementation and operating costs.
In this demonstration experiment, cameras mounted on autonomous vehicles and drones will be used to photograph runways, aeronautical lights, and protective fences, and the video data will be transmitted via local 5G. By having AI automatically detect runway cracks, surface abnormalities, equipment damage, and protective fence damage, the aim is to reduce the labor required for inspection work, which was previously performed by workers, by 30 to 50 percent.
In addition to maintenance and inspection of airport facilities, we will also work to improve and streamline aircraft takeoff and landing operations. We will use cameras installed on the apron to photograph aircraft takeoffs and landings, and collect location information for GSE (Ground Support Equipment) vehicles that transport luggage and tow aircraft. By visualizing the operating status and actual operation of each facility and vehicle, we will identify bottlenecks in operations and use this information to improve business processes and operational efficiency, such as optimizing personnel allocation and shortening working hours.
This demonstration project involves Hokkaido Airports Co., Ltd., Narita International Airport Corporation, Chubu Centrair International Airport Corporation, Kansai Airports Co., Ltd., Hiroshima International Airport Corporation, Fukuoka International Airport Corporation, and others. Moving forward, we aim to improve the accuracy of AI analysis and implement it in industry by expanding the number of participating companies.
Sumitomo Corporation is promoting the use of digital technologies in the transportation infrastructure sector, including the application of AI in railway infrastructure maintenance and inspection. Moving forward, we will continue to work with multiple businesses to address challenges in social infrastructure sectors such as airports, railways, and roads, and contribute to the realization of sustainable local communities.
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