The document discusses how Internet of Things (IoT) technologies are being implemented throughout airports to improve operations and the traveler experience. From parking lots to terminals to planes, networked systems track baggage, provide flight information, enable mobile check-in, and more. However, airports also present connectivity challenges due to unique space constraints, mixed user networks, and electromagnetic interference. Effective airport network design requires coordination, virtualization, and standards to address these challenges and support growing data needs.

1. IoT at Airports is Really
Taking Off
Daniel L Pohnert, PE, RCDD
RS&H

2. The Journey Begins
• From the beginning of your travel you are surrounded by networked systems, web-based
apps, and generally connected systems for making your trip simpler faster and safer.
• The modern airport connectivity is a utility that is almost as important as electricity for the
functioning of all day to day operations.
• We will follow the average traveler’s journey

3. At the parking lot
• Start with parking.
• At the parking lot some examples include:
• Pre-reserved on-line parking apps.
• User pre-entered payment method
• QR or bar code scanned from the app at entry and exit or
• Car tag readers identify the car
• Car location of your parking spot and locating where an empty
space is detected
• System provided app guides you to your car
• Robot valet parking.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3E7OG1JSKU

4. At the terminal check in
• Self-service check in
• Scanning of travel documents
• Printing of boarding pass
• Seat selection
• Self-service baggage
• Scanning of travel documents
• Printing of baggage tags
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITgbzOup5Fc
• Full service baggage and check-in
• Agent workstations
• Scanning of travel documents
• Printing of baggage tags

5. Where did my bag go?
• When the check bag enters the baggage handling system (BHS) the bag tag is scanned
and the route of the baggage is set.
• International Air Transport Association (IATA) Resolution 753 requires 100% tracking of
every bag by 2018 at all airport
• Checked Baggage
• Scanning of bag tag optical bar code or RFID networked to the control system
• Control system with Programmable Logic Controllers PLC and drives networked and
monitor the performance and keep track of bag position and routing
• System control center – at some large airports it resembles a utility control center
• Baggage scanning
• Scanning of baggage with advance
detection
• Recording of images

6. Security
• CCTV – IP based HD cameras everywhere to server
based image storage and analytics
• Access Control – networked controller to central
server are common due to biometric and other
verification requirements
• Security Check point - TSA in the US and varying
agencies in other countries. Screening equipment is
networked and images stored on servers.

7. Waiting for your plane
• Wi-Fi everywhere – every modern airport has Wi-Fi
service for passengers, airlines, retail etc.
• Paging systems – Most systems are network based
with remote servers for music, announcements.
Some are even used for emergency communication
• Flight information displays/Passenger Information
Displays - Networked systems for indicating flight
status and gate assignment. Can also give visual
paging and other information.
• Wayfinding - Touch screen to help passenger find
service in the terminal. Also APPs using beacons are
available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eod7zMSQQ1Q

8. Waiting for your plane
• Retail – point of sale networked systems
• Vending Machines – with credit card readers
• Restaurants - touch screen tablet ordering systems
pay at table with e-mail receipts are becoming more
common.
• Advertising – networked displays with all the retail
information you could ask for (or not).
• Gate Information Displays - Networked systems for
indicating boarding status, upgrade list and standby
list. It can also give local information and connecting
flight information.

9. Mean while in the background
• Automatic Docking systems - optical sensing of aircraft
position that are used to guide the aircraft. These networked
systems send aircraft type data to the unit that is loaded into
the preset docking positions of the unit.
• Metering and building automation system – networked system
to control and monitor energy use.
• Passenger Boarding Bridges- PLC and drive systems
networked and connected to building automation and other
systems for monitoring status.

10. Mean while in the background
• Airport Emergency Operations Center (EOC) – very similar to
small to midsize city 911 call center. Networked to emergency
communication and other first responder networks.
• Fire Station – emergency communication between the EOC
and control tower. Also the fire station is central station for all
airport fire alarm systems.
• Jet Fueling Systems- PLC and drive systems networked and
connected to HMI operator workstation or other systems for
monitoring status. Also to monitor fuel loading for billing.
Industrial networks with intrinsic safety for hazardous
locations.

11. Mean while in the background
• Air traffic control – Radar, voice and other systems including
airfield lighting are increasingly becoming networked system.
Eurocontrol and FAA are implementing IP based solutions for
radar and voice communication to aircraft.
• Networks for airport, security staff, customs, FAA and airline
operations.
• VOIP phone systems for everybody. Most airport have or are
in the process of migrating from analog phones to VOIP

12. Inflight
• Inflight Wi-Fi – Wi-Fi connectivity is increasingly used on
aircraft. Some systems are primarily ground based but more
systems are migrating to satellite based systems to provide
coverage over oceans and where ground stations are not
available.
• VOIP communication for airlines between ground operations
and aircraft inflight is also becoming more common since
there is more inflight connectivity.
• Aircraft manufacturers utilize satellite based web
communication to monitor aircraft performance especially
engines.

13. Arriving
• Customs and Immigration - The border entry is becoming
more connected with Global Entry, Mobile Passport and
electronic passport chips. Scanners for finger print, facial
recognition, e-passports and smart phone Q-Code/Bar Codes
are common at customs location in the US and in other
countries.
• These system are based on national and international
cloud server data.

14. Arriving ( Where is my bag?)
• The same baggage system tracking for outgoing bags tracks
the incoming bag.
• Baggage Information System - This system is networked to
displays that indicate which carousel the bags are to be sent.
Networked displays in the terminal also indicate this
information.

15. Airport Challenges
• With all the connectivity required an airport presents several challenges:
• Multiple user networks:
• Even with network security and virtualization there is still a trend to
have dedicated networks and separate communication rooms by
some user. The users include:
• FAA / Eurocontrol
• TSA
• Customs
• Immigration
• Airlines
• Airport Authorities
• Concessions (food and retail)

16. Airport Challenges
• EMI and RFI levels:
• High magnetic fields around scanning equipment
• Radar
• Radio
• Older buildings with limited space:
• Most airports over 30 year old have communication spaces based on analog
phone and thick-net technology. The spaces for communication are limited and
have to be included in any renovation.
• Pathways – Most airports have very limited opportunities for cable pathways
due to high ceiling and other wide open high finish spaces with limited areas to
run cables.

17. Airport Challenges
• Ad-Hock infrastructure
• The nature of some airport cabling is to provide as required cables to TE’s in
storerooms, mechanical rooms, and electrical rooms since they are the only available
spaces.
• Cable pathways which include every type of pipe and duct or boxes that could be
imagined.
• Point to point fiber
• Lack of consolidation of network infrastructure. At some airports each user developed their
network as required with no overall facility wide planning.

18. Airport Challenges
• The airport operation itself
• The airport is divided into several areas each with differing work area outlet
densities. These include:
• Parking - depending on automation and security, density ranges from one port
per 2,000 sf to one port per 300 sf
• Check in – about 4-5 outlets per agent position and 2 per kiosk due to large
cueing areas the density is rather low in these spaces.
• Baggage handling – large area with a small number of ports at each control
cabinet, except in control rooms where the ports density is much higher.
• Baggage inspection – generally one to two workstations per baggage scanning
machine or explosives detection unit with fiber link to each machine.
• Security checkpoint - generally one to two workstations per personnel scanning
machine or baggage scanning machine with fiber link to each machine.

19. Airport Challenges
• Continued:
• Concessions – WiFi coverage, point of sale, and office ports for each vendor.
Depending on the store type and technology used port densities vary widely.
Tendency is to provide one TE for each vendor with connectivity to airport network.
• Hold rooms/Gates – 10 to 16 ports per gate depending on technology used.
Generally small port density for these areas
• Offices – 2 ports per 100 sf (TIA 568 applies) more if required by user.
• Security – generally one port per secured door and one port per camera (this
varies based on camera coverage and number of secured area doors)
• Emergency Operation Center (EOC) – high port density minimum center one per
airport, some airlines have their own EOC at some airports.
• Data Center – TIA 942 requirements varies based on size of airport and co-
location. Most airports have 10 -50 rack depending on the size of the facility and
co-location.

20. Airport Challenges
• Continued:
• Concourses – Wi-Fi coverage, flight displays, advertising displays, and wayfinding.
High port counts near displays but generally low port density throughout this area.
• Air Traffic Control Tower and Centers - high port count density depending on the
number of controllers and area served by the center. Generally a dedicated
network for control function.
• Customs and Immigration – generally 4 to 6 ports per podium, and office areas
follow general office port density. Dedicated network is preferred for security. Low
port density due to large cueing spaces.

21. Airport Challenges
• Conclusions:
• The commercial building TR spacing and port counts don’t apply in Airports. Other
criteria for spacing need to be applied based on 90m maximum link distances
• Virtualization is the best option to eliminate the redundant infrastructure.
• Good standards based design criteria is required to make sure that the installation is
functional and maintainable.
• Coordination with architectural designers is critical for pathways and spaces in all
areas.
• User port criteria is important to a successful project.
• Increased data requirements are a given, bandwidth should be considered for
backbone cabling.
• EMI/RFI source need to be avoided when installing copper infrastructure.

22. Airport Challenges
• Conclusions:
• An Airport is a world of connectivity
• Additional spaces in existing older terminals are required to be added
to handle the distances between ports. These will need to be placed in
the existing building as part of any large infrastructure project, consider
small TR’s or TE in ceiling where possible for renovation in low port
density areas.
• There are multiple challenges requiring education of the Airport
Authority, Airlines, Vendors and Government Agencies. To get “buy-in”
for any given solution.
• Just as TIA/BICSI has proposed standards for Healthcare and other
types of installations. Maybe it is time to look at a standard for Airports.
Just an idea.