CAAS and I2R Collaborate to Establish Joint Air Traffic Management Research Laboratory

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) and the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R) have signed an agreement to establish a joint laboratory to advance air traffic management (ATM) research and development (R&D). The agreement was signed by Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General of CAAS, and Dr Lee Shiang Long, Executive Director of I2R on the sidelines of Singapore Airshow 2016 today.

CAAS and I2R sign an agreement to establish a joint laboratory to advance air traffic management research and development on the sidelines of the Singapore Airshow.

(From left to right) Mr Lim Chuan Poh, Chaiman of A*STAR; Dr Lee Shiang Long, Executive Director of I2R; Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General of CAAS; Mr Lee Hsien Yang, Chairman of CAAS.

The joint laboratory is part of CAAS’ efforts to develop Singapore as a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for ATM[1] . It will facilitate scientific research on ATM to achieve innovation and optimisation in operations. The joint laboratory agreement includes the following areas of research collaboration:

1. Application of automatic speech recognition technology to facilitate ATM operations;

2. Data analytics for ATM performance measurement and improvements;

3. Development of advanced visualisation technologies to facilitate the use of remotely operated airport control towers.

Mr Kevin Shum, Director-General of CAAS, said, “This research collaboration marks yet another milestone in achieving CAAS’ vision to develop Singapore as a Centre of Excellence for ATM. The CAAS-I2R joint laboratory will be the third facility dedicated to ATM R&D established in Singapore. It will further boost our efforts to develop a vibrant ecosystem for ATM in Singapore. This will enable us to better prepare for the continued growth of aviation in this part of the world.”

Dr Lee Shiang Long, Executive Director of I2R, added, “The joint laboratory partnership between CAAS and I2R demonstrates the importance of infocomm technology in data driven air traffic management. The research and development in areas such as automatic speech recognition and data analytics will promote a safe and efficient flow for Singapore’s air traffic management.”

Under the CoE for ATM initiative, CAAS has also established the ATM Research Institute (ATMRI) with the Nanyang Technological University and the MITRE Asia Pacific Singapore (MAPS) with The MITRE Corporation. In addition, CAAS has entered into several collaborative agreements with key ATM and research entities such as Airbus ProSky, SESAR[2] Joint Undertaking and the United States Federal Aviation Administration. I2R's expertise in data analytics, information technology, communication networks, interactive and digital media, and signal processing and computing will add breadth and depth to the research capabilities of the CoE for ATM.

Notes:

[1] CAAS is developing Singapore as a Centre of Excellence for ATM to meet the ATM needs of Singapore and the Asia Pacific region. This will be a vibrant eco-system, comprising research institutes and think-tanks, academia, industry players, international ATM entities and aviation stakeholders, conducting a wide range of ATM R&D activities. The convergence of minds, ideas and innovations will contribute to the development, testing and validation of ATM concepts, technologies and solutions for Singapore and the Asia Pacific region.

[2] Single European Sky ATM Research

About the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore
The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation.
For more information about CAAS, visit www.caas.gov.sg.

About Institute for Infocomm Research
The Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R pronounced as i-squared-r) is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) family and is Singapore’s largest ICT research institute. Established in 2002, our vision is to power a vibrant and strong infocomm ecosystem in Singapore. We seek to foster world-class infocomm and media research and develop a deep talent pool of infocomm professionals to power a vibrant knowledge-based Singapore. At I²R, intelligence, communications and media form our three strategic thrusts. Our research capabilities are in shared sensor networks, public-public/public-private data-sharing platform, big data analytics and visualisation solutions.
For more information about I²R, visit www.i2r.a-star.edu.sg.

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