Danish firm Copenhagen Optimization has been selected by the European Commission for the prestigious Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
The program was created to establish international networks of excellence, foster cross-border cooperation, and fund multinational projects that will drive internationalization across the EU. Copenhagen Optimization was chosen from thousands of applications across Europe for its Better Airport solution, which was designed to drive optimization across the EU’s airport network and prepare for the challenge of increased passenger demand in a cost-efficient, sustainable way.
Better Airport is the first cloud-based, AI-driven analytics solution that combines all airport operational aspects into a single, holistic overview for improved forecasting, planning and execution. The solution provides robust insight into passenger check-in, security, border control, baggage handling, aircraft allocation and more.
Copenhagen Optimization will receive funding of just over €2.1m (US$2.3m) over the next 24 months. The Horizon 2020 grant will enable the company to run large-scale trials of its new airport allocation solution across airports around the world, with the goal of improving aircraft-to-building efficiency, reduce aircraft taxiing time, and address other challenges that commonly plague busy airports that run on razor-sharp time constraints.
It is expected that the program will deliver the data-driven solution to postpone physical investment in airport infrastructure by at least three years, reduce staff costs by 10%, and reduce passenger waiting times by 50% at participating airports. With deeper insight into aircraft allocation and parking, airports are expected to save between €5m and €15m (US$5.4m to US$16.2m) up front, with further annual savings of up to €10m (US$10.8m).
“This new phase of the Better Airport solution brings to market a groundbreaking, cloud-based and holistic approach to airport operational management using AI to continuously evaluate input parameters and provide accurate forecasts,” said Anders Dohn, managing partner at Copenhagen Optimization. “The software uses advanced mathematical models and machine learning, combined with hands-on experience from years of consultancy of airport operations, to deliver a user-friendly solution that enables informed and optimized decision making across airport stakeholders.”
The project received funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 880158.
