by Elsie Clark | Jan 29, 2026 | Innovation
This interview is taken from our sister site, World Aviation Festival.
Handling 87 million passengers every year, Dallas Fort Worth International (DFW) is the third-busiest airport in the world. At the same time, for three consecutive years, Airports Council International (ACI) has recognised DFW as one of the best large airports in North America. So how does the Texan airport achieve its high customer service scores while processing such huge traveller numbers?
Paul Puopolo, DFW’s Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, believes tech investment has been instrumental to improving airport processes and enhancing the traveller experience.
We began our innovation journey about six years ago, and one of the things that we did was we looked at customer needs. On the innovation side, our team really tries to take a human-centric approach.
Among the security measures Puopolo has overseen are streamlined security, a private 5G network, biometrics, and artificial intelligence (AI) systems. DFW’s new Terminal F, currently in construction, also represents an opportunity to rethink airport design. When complete, the US$1.6 billion project will boast self-service bag drops, e-gates, and sensors for managing passenger flow.
When we build new infrastructure, we want to make sure it’s a little bit more flexible. So as customer needs change, we can change. We don’t want to end up being like a mall that nobody goes to anymore.
Advanced air mobility (AAM) is one such consideration. A ‘when, not if’ evolution for the industry, Puopolo is watching sandbox initiatives in the Middle East to see how eVTOLs and air taxis could be incorporated at DFW once they receive FAA certification. He currently forecasts that AAM services could go live in 2028, but for this to be possible DFW needs to prepare now.
We believe air taxis are coming to the airport, and being a feeder route is important to us. But for that to happen, we have to make our infrastructure investments two to three years ahead.
🎥 Watch the interview to hear Paul Puopolo’s full thoughts on AAM integration, tech, and innovation.
Questions asked include:
- What role do you think innovation has played in boosting your customer service rating?
- What are your plans for Terminal F from a tech perspective?
- How can airports implement designs that are tech-forward but also sustainable and long-lasting?
- How do you see air taxis being integrated at DFW in the future?
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to discuss the future of advanced air mobility (AAM).
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by Elsie Clark | Jan 19, 2026 | Connectivity, Innovation
SkeyDrone and Airport Intelligence have launched a strategic collaboration to offer airports end-to-end drone detection, response, and mitigation services.
Drone sightings have become increasingly commonplace in recent years, forcing the closure of significant aviation hubs such as Berlin Brandenburg. The disruption caused by these closures results in significant costs for airlines and operational headaches for airport management.
Developers of advanced drone detection technology, SkeyDrone monitor and analyse drone activity around critical airspace. Their tailorable platform includes an active runway configuration to make sure threats are addressed and alerts are meaningful. Airport Intelligence brings extensive aviation expertise to the collaboration, ensuring safety and security while creating actionable plans to address disruption.
Both companies are based at Brussels Airport, providing the ideal platform for shared learning. Stijn De Vleeschhouwer, Managing Director at SkeyDrone, said:
We’re seeing a tremendous demand for our threat assessment solutions, which help customers evaluate risks effectively. While we provide the technology, many airports and ANSPs lack established processes to act on these insights. That’s why this partnership is so critical: technology is one part of the equation, but taking the right actions is equally, if not more, important.
Korijn Defever, General Manager at Airport Intelligence added:
Our strength lies in designing operational concepts that fit the complex reality of airport environments, not only in theory but especially in practice. Working with SkeyDrone allows us to connect those concepts directly to reliable, proven drone detection technology, offering airports a pragmatic and scalable solution.
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by Elsie Clark | Nov 3, 2025 | Connectivity
Air traffic controllers at Berlin Brandenburg Airport were forced to suspend flights for two hours after a drone was discovered breaching its aerospace.
The incident occurred on Friday 31st October at around 8pm, with incoming aircraft forced to divert to other airports in Germany.
Ralph Beisel, managing director of the German Airports Association (FlugÂhaÂfenÂverÂband ADV), described the incident as a ‘wake-up call.’ He added:
When take-offs and landings are stopped and numerous aircraft have to be diverted to other airports, it is not only flight operations that come to a standstill, passenger confidence in the safety of air traffic also suffers.
Airports must not be left alone here. Drone detection and defence are sovereign tasks of the state and must be tackled comprehensively and consistently.
Drone overflights are on the up, with German traffic control reporting 155 incidents this year so far, a sharp increase from the 15 recorded in 2023. It is currently unclear if the latest drone intrusion was part of surveillance activities, as is suspected with recent drone overflights at Kleine-Brogel military base in Belgium.
Unnmanned aerial objects have caused further disturbance elsewhere in Europe. Vilnius Airport in Lithuania has been forced to close six times in October, for multiple hours on each occasion, due to helium balloons from Belarus entering its airspace. The balloons smuggle contraband into the EU, a criminal activity that also serves to put geopolitical pressure on the bloc.
Additionally, Russian drones have all invaded Lithuanian, Polish, and Estonian airspace in the past year as Putin tries to provoke NATO. To strengthen defence capabilities and keep airports running as normal, Europe must find a way to limit these incursions.
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by Elsie Clark | Sep 12, 2025 | AI & ML, Innovation, MRO IT
Copenhagen Airport (CPH) has introduced a new solution for real-time monitoring emissions from auxiliary power units (APUs).
The Danish airport has rolled out Assaia’s EmissionsControl technology across its stands. Airports often struggle to reduce APU emissions due to a lack of data on how runtime is influenced by locations and weather conditions. Through this new development, CPH claims to have become the world’s first airport to utilise the innovative monitoring solution.
Powered by artificial intelligence (AI), Assaia’s system deploys cameras to track APU usage during aircraft turnarounds. This provides CPH with comprehensive data on APU usage patterns that can then inform effective carbon reduction strategies.
CPH’s chief operating officer Kristoffer Plenge-Brandt said:
The use of APU contributes to noise and emissions of COâ‚‚ and air pollution, including ultrafine particles, which are a concern for both our employees and our neighbouring communities.
That’s why we aim to reduce APU usage as much as possible. With this new tool, we can identify when our operational guidelines are not being met and understand the reasons behind it
Weather conditions are key to understanding APU runtime. Extreme cold temperatures require longer warmup times, while hot weather necessitates internal cooling systems. CPH’s data-centric approach means they can optimise APU usage without relying on assumptions, as has previously been practice.
Alongside improving ground operations, the initiative contributes to CPH’s 2030 net-zero emissions target. Airlines flying into the airport will also benefit from decreased fuel consumption and lower operational costs.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to discuss the future of operational sustainability in aviation.
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