Spanish airport manager Aena, which ranks number one in global passenger volume, and telecommunications infrastructure and services operator Cellnex Telecom have brought into service the first private network based on 5G technology in Spanish airports. The pilot project is itself one of the first on the European airport scene.
In the wake of the alliance struck between both companies, Cellnex was responsible for installing and rolling out this 5G network at San Sebastian airport, on which various use cases related to drone operations will be developed, mainly in terms of security and advanced monitoring, and to the acquisition, collection and secure processing of environmental data (gases and particles in suspension, temperature, humidity and noise) through the Cellnex SmartBrain Platform.
The fifth generation of mobile communications, better known as 5G, will revolutionise digital transformation processes thanks to its high-speed data transmission, low latency, capacity to manage a high density of connected devices and, in particular, its high availability and reliability. 5G will be a turning point when applied to airports, laying the foundations for the future development of the airport itself and serving as the basis for a wide range of new applications and functionalities that will allow a more efficient and sustainable service.
In this project, Cellnex will enjoy the collaboration of Nokia as its partner for the 5G network, while Inetum will supply and operate the associated drones.
Globally, Aena has identified 5G as one of the key technologies for its digital transformation process. Although connectivity has been a reality in airports for a few years, the leap to this new technology will make it possible to develop new applications in important fields such as security and operations. 5G will help to further advance the Internet of Things (IoT) and help to implement Big Data, virtual and augmented reality and artificial intelligence.
This new technology, and its relevant applications and functionalities, will also foster the sustainable management of airport activity, making it compatible with local nature conservation and environmental management.
Pablo Lopez Loeches, Head of Ideation & Entrepreneurship at Aena
the importance of having a private 5G network at one of our airports that allows us to test specific airport use cases that require high capacity, low latency and high device density, as well as a new connectivity layer that provides the airport community with a highly reliable and readily available data transmission service. Performing these tests will allow us to identi-fy the degree of maturity of 5G technology and to see to what extent it can be adapted to Aena's needs to improve our internal connectivity services.
Miquel Mir, Enterprise Sales Manager at Cellnex Spain highlighted , and was .
the importance of telecommunications infrastructures and technologies such as 5G in contributing to optimise processes in complex environments like airports, where security and operational efficiency are key, above and beyond connectivity for passengers, and was satisfied to work with Aena in this pilot that will serve to lay the foundations for future deployments of this type of network —and its multiple use cases— in Spanish airports; in addition to being able to demonstrate Cellnex’s capabilities as a neutral telecommunications infrastructure operator and its expertise in assisting the deployment of critical networks
