Riyadh Airports Company (RAC), which manages and operates King Khalid International Airport (KKIA), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ADB SAFEGATE, a leader in smart airport solutions, to facilitate collaboration, discussions, and trials of advanced technological solutions.

According to the agreement, both parties will collaboratively discuss and trial technical products in the field of airside digitization in terms of automation, monitoring, and preventive maintenance. There will be potential benefits from advanced and recent technologies such as artificial Intelligence, machine learning, advanced video analytics, virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality, the internet of things, and digital twins. This is in addition to the possibility of utilizing 5G communication technology in the airport apron area, as well as possible innovative enhancements for existing products such as the Airport Management Platform (AMP), Visual Docking Guidance System (VDGS), SafeControl Apron Management (SAM), and the Airfield Lighting Control and Monitoring System (ALCMS).

Osama Al-Fawaz RAC's CIO, expressed his delight with this agreement that supports RAC's aspirations to enhance its digital transformation as it introduces cutting-edge technologies.

“It is just the beginning of more diverse future plans and initiatives to collaborate with our global partners. We believe that technology is now the deciding factor in air operations management in most airports around the world."

Laurent Dubois, the CEO for ADB SAFEGATE, emphasized the transformative potential of this collaboration, saying, "Partnering with RAC, the operator of one of the region's most significant airports, signifies a major milestone. It demonstrates RAC's visionary approach and eagerness to adopt the latest advancements in airport management. We are confident that this collaboration will serve as a model for the industry, setting new standards for operational excellence."

This is likely to be the just the start of more diverse plans and initiatives to collaborate on technological solutions, which are growing ever more important to air operations management in most airports around the world. Future areas that are likely to be explored include energy efficiency, predictive maintenance, and seamless passenger flow.