Anticipates construction cost savings and enhanced safety
Erlanger, KY (September 28, 2023) – When the Federal Aviation Administration announced a new set of safety management rules for airport construction, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) leaders knew they needed an innovative and affordable way to meet the FAA’s requirements.
That’s why CVG is in the process of testing a cutting-edge, Artificial Intelligence-driven technology – powered by the sun.
The Volan Positioning System, VPS, is a solar-powered wireless network that uses secure locators and beacons to precisely monitor airport construction workers and vehicles and alerts workers, escorts, and other airport officials if someone wanders too close to a runway, taxiway, or outside of their restricted area.
“CVG Airport is a city within a city and provides an ideal location to serve as the VPS testbed. Spanning across 7,700 acres, CVG has an unrelenting commitment to safety and has always been on the front end of innovation and sustainability,” said Brian Cobb, Chief Innovation Officer of CVG. “We’re optimistic that VPS will enable us to comply with FAA rules by improving our span of positive control, while at the same time helping us save money by not requiring us to divert airport employees from other duties simply to monitor construction crews working near sensitive areas of the airport.”
During the test, which kicked off in May 2023 and is expected to last roughly six months, construction workers are required to wear a badge-size VPS locator on a lanyard whenever they enter their predetermined work area. Locators are also installed on construction vehicles and equipment, like bulldozers and forklifts. VPS continually monitors the location of each locator, alerting workers, safety monitors, and operations if someone gets too close to a restricted area like an active runway or if someone steps out of their predetermined work zone.
“One of the ways VPS saves airports money is because they can use fewer people for construction safety monitoring while increasing security and safety,” said Michael Bettua, CEO of Volan. “It’s also incredibly easy and fast to set up; our technicians installed the entire system at CVG in hours, and it only took us thirty minutes to train the airport staff on how to use it.”
VPS forms its own wireless network with zero dependency on the airport IT network, eliminating the risk of things like a lost Wi-Fi or cellular phone signal. In the time a cell-phone carrier drops and regains a signal, someone could have accidentally wandered into a restricted area.
Key Facts:
About Volan
Headquartered in Hoboken, New Jersey, Volan Technology, Inc. created the Volan Positioning System to help airport officials keep airports safe, meet FAA standards, and optimize budgets. VPS helps ensure escorted construction personnel stay within authorized areas, increasing airport officials’ positive span of control resulting in improved safety and security. VPS enables airports to streamline costs by automating large parts of the construction escort process, identifying operational inefficiencies, and providing valuable data that enables more energy efficient construction. Learn more about Volan and VPS’ other applications at volantechnology.com.
About CVG Airport
The Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) welcomed more than 7.6 million passengers in 2022 representing a 21% increase over 2021. CVG offers the lowest airfares in the region and 50+ nonstop destinations, which now includes nonstop service to London Heathrow (LHR) on British Airways, the airport’s 14th airline. CVG is the 7th largest cargo airport in North America with two powerhouses on campus continuing to drive growth: Amazon Air’s megahub, and DHL Express’ Global Superhub for the Americas. With an annual impact of $6.8 billion on the local economy, the airport drives regional growth and remains a leader in aviation innovation. Learn more at CVGairport.com.
2022 Charlotte Douglas International Airport Report of Achievement
Giving back to the community is central to what Charlotte Douglas International Airport and its operator, the City of Charlotte Aviation Department, is about, and last year was no different.
Throughout 2022, while recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, we continued our efforts to have a positive impact on the Charlotte community. Of particular note, we spent the year sharing stories of how Connections Don't Just Happen at the Terminal - from creating homeownership and employment opportunities to supporting economic growth through small-business development and offering outreach programs to help residents understand the Airport better.
This whitepaper highlights the construction projects, initiatives, programs and events that validate Charlotte Douglas as a premier airport.
Download the whitepaper: 2022 Charlotte Douglas International Airport Report of Achievement.