Back in 2008 when I first started digging in to how we could use technology to move airports away from intensive, error prone paper-based processing for airport worker credentials there seemed to be countless ways to help airport staff be more efficient and lower the risks around insider threat. Things had been handled in the same way for decades using access control systems and all kinds of one-off disconnected systems and processes that included many phone calls, emails, rooms of Personal Identifiable Information (PII) locked in cabinets, even certified mail in some cases!

The trending topic in aviation at that time was very much insider threat. Passenger screening had matured and stabilized post 9/11, and our attention all turned to the individuals who had the potential to pose a risk to our industry on a nearly daily basis as they went in and out of some of the most critical areas of an airport to perform their jobs. The TSA was ramping up their capabilities and requirements they asked airports to meet.

It is in this environment that Airport IDMS was born. No one had dreamed of an iPhone yet. State of the art mobile tech came in one color – Blackberry. Cloud computing was still called Software as a Service (SaaS) but few vendors actually offered it. Existing paper processes were all over the place from one airport to the next. Again, the potential for improvement was high and many airports took advantage of the systems available over the subsequent years. They made efficiency gains for sure, but how do these concepts and solutions stack up in 2023, and what improvements can be made through experience and technology that will help airports continue to improve efficiency, convenience, and security for the next decade or more?

Let’s start by stating what has changed

• Airports have recovered post pandemic and are back on the hockey stick trajectory for passenger volumes we were all facing in 2019.

• With this recovery has come capital improvements that bring challenges to badging offices that handle many new construction related companies, new access control solutions and the transitions to the areas and technologies rolling out.

• Highly active hiring in a much more competitive landscape requiring concessionaires, airlines, and everyone doing business at the airport to be nimbler and service oriented.

• Digital Transformation has reached airports as IT organizations rethink their approach across all areas of airport technologies to be more innovative, flexible, secure (cyber) and integrated.

• Regulatory agencies and their associated entities have embraced technology solutions and are continuing to improve to close security risks while providing better service to airports and their workers – Perpetual STA’s, FBI Rap Back, CBP eBadge, DAC offerings, etc.

• Technology, well where should I start – mobile everywhere, IoT, Cloud, AI, etc. All good things, but the most important evolution is people’s acceptance and ability to use these technologies themselves! Grandparents now know how to scan a barcode at a restaurant and place/pay for their orders in the palm of their hands.

It is in this new context we find ourselves at Vector Flow imagining what an Airport IDMS needs to be in 2030 and beyond. We know the history, what worked well in practice and what worked better on a whiteboard, but with these new factors in mind how do we approach Airport IDMS?

Our crystal ball

When we were pulled back into the aviation space by one of the largest US-based airlines, we knew we had an opportunity to innovate based on the technical capabilities and digital transformation culture available today, which means:

• Building an exceptional team steeped in airports regulatory and operational environments to ensure any technical solution is matched by a customer focused implementation and support professionals with a dedication to the aviation industry.
• A true part of an airport’s Digital Transformation strategy; the technology culture change (e.g., everyone has a smart mobile phone) permits us to distribute the actions of individual applicants/badge holders, Authorized Signatories, and Trusted Agents to eliminate bottlenecks and delays through a mobile-first, intelligently guided processes.
• A focus on streamlining the high repetition, low risk processes to maximize customer service while minimizing queue and wait times. Together this also helps Trusted Agents deal with higher value, less mundane tasks day to day.
• Use a low-code, highly configurable architecture to meet airport processes and size while maintaining a sustainable single solution across various airports sizes and requirements while easily adapting to changing regulations.
• Use AI-based chat bots, virtual interactions, intelligent picture, and document capture techniques that allow more individuals to perform tasks previously relegated to trusted agents. Simple dashboard / task driven screens make the system intuitive to all users.
• Interfacing easily with credentialing related systems (access control, DACS, training, etc.), but also providing a unique company and worker repository that can be leveraged across the airport for operations, safety, communications, etc.
• All the above differentiators lead to a simple, rapid implementation using cloud where possible to reduce cyber risk and get airports realizing the benefits early.

Future-proof physical security at your airport with reliable technology

In the fast-paced and highly regulated aviation industry, ensuring the safety and security of airports and aviation facilities is not optional. Vector Flow is already helping the largest airports in the US and globally to utilize innovative solutions from automating the on/off-boarding processes, vetting access, and reporting in real-time on potential threats. Our suite of Physical Security Automation Solutions introduces a level of efficiency and sophistication unseen in legacy solutions, changing the way airports and airlines safeguard against insider threats and manage their staff.

Discover our full suite of solutions for aviation or schedule a call with our Aviation Subject Matter Expert here.