Glasgow Airport launches digital twin funding competition worth up to £70,000

A digital twin funding competition worth up to £70,000 launched at Glasgow Airport.

The Living Lab Digital Twin Competition, launched by the Connected Places Catapult with Glasgow Airport, is designed to take forward innovative digital twin technology solutions tailored for the aviation sector.

Up to £70,000 is being made available to a company developing digital twin technologies in a live aviation environment. The competition is specifically aimed at enhancing operations at the Scottish airport.

What is a digital twin?

A digital twin is a computer model that serves as a digital representation of a physical asset, which may or may not yet exist. It maintains a dynamic data connection with its physical counterpart and updated at the ‘right’ time based on the use case without necessarily requiring real-time updates. 

Aims of the programme are to overcome challenges faced by businesses in creating and integrating digital twin technologies in aviation, promote innovative solutions, and provide support to help bring digital twin solutions to market.

About the competition 

Connected Places Catapult’s Interim Ecosystem Director for Air Mobility & Airports, Andrew Chadwick said: “We’re delighted to introduce our inaugural Digital Twin Competition, hosted within the dynamic setting of the Connected Airport Living Lab at Glasgow Airport.

“This innovative facility fosters advancements in passenger experience and accelerates decarbonisation through electrification, hydrogen utilisation, automation, data analytics, and integrated surface-level access solutions.

“Made possible by the strategic support of Connected Places Catapult, this competition aims to spark innovation by integrating digital twins into the aviation sector, with a focus on optimising operations at Glasgow Airport.”

Businesses taking part in the competition must address one of three industry challenges: better understanding asset replacement needs; how to better observe, forecast and influence passenger movement to help with journeys; and ways of reducing energy consumption and operational costs.

Jon Matthews, Group Head of Capital Investment and Planning at AGS Airports, which owns Glasgow Airport, said: “As the UK’s First Connected Airport Living Lab, it is an exciting time at Glasgow as we look at how we to harness new technologies, not only to enhance the passenger experience and our operations, but to create the next revolution in aviation through zero-emission flight.

“I would urge innovators working with digital twin technologies to get in touch to see how their work could find solutions and create opportunities within the aviation industry.”

The competition is formed of two phases. In phase one, up to five successful organisations will have the chance to present their digital twin concepts at Glasgow Airport where they can showcase how their technology can be applied to the challenges, accessing up to £3,000 in funding.

What will contestants win?

Following an assessment of the submitted use-case proposals, one organisation will be chosen to advance to phase two to carry out a full-scale deployment of their digital twin solution at Glasgow Airport, accessing up to £70,000 in funding. 

Participants will also have an opportunity to engage with established players in the aviation industry, and receive technical support from specialists at Connected Places Catapult and Glasgow Airport. Applicants must be a UK registered business, and present an innovation solution at or above Technology Readiness Level 5. The competition closes on 07 March.