Southeast Asian cities are becoming smarter. By 2030, the market size of smart city initiatives in the region is set to reach US$236.7 billion ($320.8 billion). This shift is crucial as the region’s urbanisation rate is expected to double from 30% in 1980 to 60% by 2030, surpassing global averages.
To address this rapid urban growth, urban mobility becomes essential. Beyond convenience, urban mobility also fosters sustainable urban development. Yet, while the focus often rests on land-based transportation solutions, there is another vital yet oft-overlooked element that literally goes over our heads: the airspace.
Aside from facilitating quicker, more efficient travel times and reducing the burden on existing mobility systems, the airspace enables cities to expand their transportation networks vertically and horizontally. Before we can unlock the full potential of land and air transportation, we must recognise the challenges in the air and what technology can do to help our cities become smarter and more efficient.
Urbanisation challenges take to the skies
Seven of the world’s top 10 busiest international routes crossed the airspace over Asia Pacific in 2023. Compared with the rest of the world, global air passenger traffic in the region will grow faster over the next two decades. However, the rise in global air traffic in rapidly urbanising regions can exacerbate existing urbanisation challenges.
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For instance, as more people travel by air, the areas around airports can experience heightened traffic congestion. This affects not only those travelling by air but also residents and communities who face increased travel times and disruptions.
Higher volumes of air passengers also require more extensive airport infrastructure and services. This can strain existing facilities, leading to airport overcrowding and the need for significant capital investment in expansion and upgrades. Moreover, supporting infrastructure, such as roads, public transit to airports, and parking facilities, must be expanded, which can be costly and logistically challenging for urban areas.
Finally, airports and the associated increase in air traffic contribute significantly to environmental issues. The areas surrounding airports often experience higher noise levels, affecting residents’ health and quality of life. Moreover, increased flights contribute to higher CO2 emissions, exacerbating climate change impacts, which urban areas are particularly vulnerable to.
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Challenges in the air, meet innovations on the ground
Addressing the aforementioned challenges is the first critical step to incorporating the sky into our larger smart city initiatives. The good news is that there are plenty of ready-to-deploy technologies to do just that.
For instance, advanced, artificial intelligence-powered air traffic management systems allow for more precise aircraft routing. Aside from reducing delays and maximising the throughput of aircraft taking off and landing, such optimisations also reduce the need for holding patterns and lengthy taxi times both in the air and on the ground at airports.
Advanced air traffic management systems can help aircraft minimise distance travelled and fly at optimal altitudes, reducing unnecessary fuel burn and emissions. This could contribute to fuel savings of up to 10% regionally.
Additionally, by incorporating sustainable aviation fuels, companies can contribute to a further reduction in carbon emissions by up to 10%. The key is for air and ground teams to collaborate and utilise the right tools to measure, monitor, and enhance environmental efficiency — paving the way for greener operations.
Furthermore, the growing number of unmanned flying projects, like drones, in the region will require advanced technologies to monitor traffic and avoid unwanted flying objects. These aircraft offer alternatives to traditional, CO2-emitting travel, helping to reduce carbon footprint further.
Meanwhile, smart technologies enable airports to adjust flight schedules and operations dynamically to handle increased traffic more efficiently, thereby maintaining fluidity in urban mobility. Even within the airports themselves, there are technologies to keep people on the move. Biometric and document verification technologies allow passengers to pass through border controls seamlessly while maintaining high efficiency and security.
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By tapping into digital infrastructure and 5G networks, an airport transforms into a crucial transportation hub that integrates various modes of transport—such as rail, bus, and car services — into a cohesive system. This intermodal integration ensures that travellers can easily switch between various forms of transportation and facilitates the flow of information and people more efficiently.
Finally, a city cannot be smart without ensuring safety and security. Aviation companies are enhancing safety by shifting from Task-Based Training to Evidence-Based Training (EBT), which uses objective, data-driven metrics to evaluate pilot behaviour and performance in simulated environments, resulting in more effective training and higher safety standards than its traditional counterpart.
As smart cities adopt technologies like drones and air taxis, the risk of malicious exploitation increases — making security paramount. While these solutions can greatly enhance productivity, they can also become threats if used incorrectly. Not to mention, the interconnected nature of aviation ecosystems makes them vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Robust aviation security and advanced cybersecurity measures, including real-time monitoring and AI-based threat detection, are essential to ensuring urban safety.
To the skies and beyond
By expanding our focus beyond the surface, Southeast Asia can pioneer a holistic approach to urban mobility that includes the skies as avenues of transit in smart cities. However, our journeys skyward must begin by laying the groundwork in these burgeoning smart cities. Advanced aerospace technologies optimise airspace to reduce congestion and environmental impact and enhance the connectivity and efficiency of urban transportation networks.
The future of urban mobility does not have to mean more planes and pollution. Our skies can become a viable, eco-friendly extension of our urban landscape by incorporating hybrid management systems, real-time trajectory optimisation, and sustainable aviation options like electric or hybrid aircraft. Ultimately, the sky is truly the limit when it comes to opportunities in the airspace of smart cities.
Francois Piolet is the vice-president and general manager for Apac and China of the Aviation Global Services at Thales Avionics
