Mahmoud Shouman, Head of Digital Advisory at Dar, participated in the Schneider Electric Innovation Summit in Abu Dhabi, joining a panel dedicated to “Airport Ecosystems in a New Energy Era.” The summit brought together industry professionals to consider what becoming future-ready means for airports across the region, while the panel focused on the connected priorities of growth, decarbonisation, and digitisation.

As airports advance on all three fronts, the discussion highlighted the importance of doing so without adding layers of operational complexity. One theme remained central throughout the conversation: airports do not need several disconnected systems, but a common foundation capable of supporting new applications as their needs evolve.

Drawing on work underway at Dar, Mahmoud illustrated how such a foundation can enable a range of operational applications. He shared examples of AI that can detect a runway incursion and trigger an emergency stop on inbound aircraft before a human controller identifies the risk, as well as predictive systems that pre-cool terminal zones ahead of a passenger surge. In the case of predictive cooling, automated, real-time decisions can reduce energy use while improving passenger comfort.

Mahmoud also discussed algorithms that can predict when a passenger is likely to miss their gate, allowing their bag to be removed from the aircraft before it causes a delay.

Although these applications address different airport needs, they can all operate through one shared digital twin—a real-time digital representation of the airport that combines its data and systems. Rather than requiring separate tools that staff must learn and manage, this shared foundation allows new capabilities to be introduced faster and at a lower cost, helping airports expand their digital operations without adding dashboards or unnecessary complexity.

The summit provided an opportunity for industry professionals to consider what becoming future-ready means for airports across the region, while the panel focused on the connected priorities of growth, decarbonisation, and digitisation.