ATM Twin by AIR Lab Awarded Minister's Innovation Distinguished Award 2022
1 April 2023
The ATM Twin developed by CAAS and Thales in AIR Lab received the prestigious Minister's Innovation Distinguished Award at the 2022 PS21 ExCEL Awards.
The Air Traffic Management (ATM) Twin project, a collaboration between Thales and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) within AIR Lab, received the Minister’s Innovation Distinguished Award for 2022 in the Research & Development category at the PS21 ExCEL Awards. AIR Lab is a joint research facility with over 50 professionals, including air traffic control specialists, engineers, and developers.
ATM Twin Overview
The ATM Twin is a cloud-native platform that enables Air Navigation Services Providers to:
- Examine live and historical data
- Prototype systems and concepts
- Rapidly enhance operations in secure environments
By virtually replicating complete ATM infrastructure, the platform allows air traffic controllers to:
- Conduct hypothetical scenario analysis
- Refine procedures
- Safely test new configurations without impacting live operations
Development Approach
The project combined the operational expertise of CAAS and the technological capabilities of Thales to address Singapore-specific operational requirements. Air Traffic Controllers were actively involved through workshops, ensuring that every development stage delivered practical, operational value.
International collaboration played a key role: SkyASD technology from Thales’ SkyLab facility in Rungis, France, was customized and integrated into the final ATM Twin platform.
Future Directions
Through AIR Lab, CAAS and Thales are advancing greener aviation initiatives, focusing on:
- Trajectory-based Operations (TBO)
- Emerging technologies for sustainable air traffic management
Current work includes a Continuous Descent Operations (CDO) tool, aimed at reducing carbon emissions across the Asia-Pacific region, further enhancing the environmental performance of air traffic operations.