HKIA’s Innovative Solution Receives Grand Award at Hong Kong ICT Awards 2019

(HONG KONG, 22 April 2019) –  Hong Kong International Airport’s (HKIA) on-going efforts to adopt the latest technologies and transform itself into a smart airport were recently recognised at the prestigious Hong Kong ICT Awards 2019, at which it clinched four awards. The “IoT-Augmented Airfield Service System” (AS2) received both the Grand and Gold awards in the “Smart Mobility” category. The airport’s “Baggage Handling Performance Monitoring System” and “HKIA Digital Twin” won the Silver Award and Certificate of Merit in the “Smart Business” category respectively.

Steven Yiu, Deputy Director, Service Delivery of Airport Authority Hong Kong (AA), said, “It is our honour to receive these ICT Awards, which show our commitment to transforming HKIA into a smart airport. HKIA is one of the busiest airports in the world, and it is very important for us to meet the airport’s growing air traffic demand with higher efficiency. By implementing state-of-the-art technologies, we are able to identify potential problems and solve them before happening. In addition, big data analysis allows us to better utilise various resources to enhance the airport’s operational efficiency.”

AS2 is a cloud-based, service-oriented system jointly developed by the AA, The Chinese University of Hong Kong and ubiZense Ltd that aims to enhance the performance of aircraft turnaround, which is highly affected by numerous factors both in the air and on the ground. The system gathers data from various sources at HKIA and consolidates it into meaningful forecasts through artificial intelligence technology. Ground handlers are then alerted to potential delays, which enables them to better deploy manpower and resources.

Developed by the AA and Creaxon Technologies Inc. Ltd., the “Baggage Handling Performance Monitoring System” analyses baggage, vehicles, conveyer systems and baggage handling facilities using video analytics methodology. It then systematically turns video footage into a set of quantitative performance metrics, which is useful for process control and safety assurance. It also enables the airport community to monitor occupational safety and work performance and understand process bottlenecks, helping enhance long-term operational quality.

The “HKIA Digital Twin”, which was developed in partnership between the AA and CHAIN Technology Development Co. Ltd., collects real-time data fed from Internet of things (IoT) devices deployed throughout the airport and transforms it into easy-to-read formats. With the use of predictive analytics, it can also provide alerts to the airport community, enabling better deployment of resources and resulting in cost saving and enhanced service.

The Hong Kong ICT Awards were established in 2006 with the aim of recognising and promoting outstanding information and communications technology inventions and applications. This year there were eight categories at the Hong Kong ICT Awards, with one Grand Award given in each category.