Airservices Australia begins use of Deloitte and McLaren digital technology

Airservices Australia has selected Deloitte for its innovative Digital Information Programme. Deloitte will work in collaboration with McLaren and NATS to deliver this programme which will transform how operational decisions are made within Airservices Australia, driving better experiences for travellers as air traffic experts will be able to make more informed decisions in managing the airspace.

Using the Performance Optimiser product developed by Deloitte, McLaren and NATS, operational staff at Airservices Australia will be able to evaluate the impact of the decisions they make on a day-by-day basis, simulate other options and more accurately predict future activity within the airspace.

The cloud-based product offers instant access to operational data, allowing the user to view a range of factors that may influence air traffic – from the level of flow regulations and weather conditions, through to the occurrence of increased air traffic due to large sporting events – in order to make informed decisions that help to optimise airspace utilisation. Performance Optimiser can then simulate how different decisions would have changed the outcome for any given day, allowing operational users to not just review performance, but also inform future decisions, and quickly apply learning to improve the management of the airspace.

The Performance Optimiser product uses the concept of a ‘digital twin’, where a business operation is replicated and analysed in a digital environment, with improvements and solutions then introduced into the real world. A technique derived from Formula 1 simulation technology and analytics being brought to air traffic management.

Mick Snell, Service Strategy Manager at Airservices Australia, said: “The aviation industry is evolving quickly, and it’s vital that we evolve with it. We must move to take advantage of new technologies to make our services faster, more efficient and more valuable for our customers, airlines and other airspace users. At Airservices we created the Digital Information Programme to elevate and scale information services. We selected the Deloitte team as we are increasingly looking at opportunities to work with people from outside the traditional aviation industry who can deliver benefits quickly to us and to our customers. The Performance Optimiser tool aligned with our vision of future airspace management, giving us the ability to accelerate the business case and develop robust capabilities for operational evaluation more quickly than ever expected.”

Mark Cooper, partner for aviation technology at Deloitte, commented: “Within air traffic, data remains largely in silos. The Digital Information Programme will introduce a new way to integrate and manage data, producing a variety of new operational benefits. This is a pivotal programme and we look forward to demonstrating the value of our Performance Optimiser product, introducing data-led decision making that will benefit aviation staff and passengers.”

Mike Phillips, Commercial Director at McLaren Applied Technologies, said: “It is very promising to see another world-leading air services provider choose us to help improve operational efficiency at their business. Using technology developed in world of Formula 1, we can deliver direct benefits to the provider’s customers by making better decisions, faster. This is another big step in the aviation industry identifying the need to bridge the gap between the digital and physical worlds, and we look forward to delivering a positive impact to Airservices Australia.”