Private 5G in the future of aviation

Five years of 5G trials across industries have confirmed its truly transformational potential. The development of 5G presents a unique opportunity to further strengthen digitalization, efficiency, and security.

But for various reasons, industry adoption has been slower than expected. Now, as the technology and ecosystem mature, we see rising interest in private 5G networks, and growing benefits in the fields of logistics, offshore, manufacturing and aviation. In 2021, my French colleagues published a report on a project of theirs, “5G for airport operations”, which is as relevant now as it was then. Recently, many airports and aviation companies have embarked on the 5G journey, with ongoing implementations in European hubs. Following this, the Norwegian airport operator Avinor has started the journey towards 5G with a clear target to digitalize and make aviation safer and more efficient across their 44 airports in Norway.

Supporting Avinor 5G pilot project

Avinor selected Capgemini together with one of the leading telecom operators in Norway to help them build up strong internal 5G knowledge and test the technology through a real and impactful use case: Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV) for tarmac inspections.

Driving the project based on a specific use case has proven to be very beneficial. Instead of running a theoretical exercise, the real-life testing of the AGV performance with different radio technologies (sometimes in harsh weather conditions) has been a driving force through the project and enabled fast conclusions and proof of 5G private network capabilities.

At the same time, the technical complexity and dependencies across the organization have given strong insights in how to successfully run early phase 5G projects – insights that apply in any industry.

What this project revealed about 5G transformations

With the newest developments in network spectrum allocations in Norway, industries can now implement private 5G networks and achieve unmatched coverage, low latency, and capacity close to fixed broadband installations. However, what a technology promises is not always what it delivers. Out-of-the box solutions often need to be tweaked for a specific use case. Dependencies must be tested and verified, and everything from the radio access network to hardware and back-end set up must be adapted.

A clear learning from the tests of the AGV use case is that the end-to-end 5G set up must be carefully thought through; Back-end integrations are vital to secure the low latency required, and once in place, private 5G outperform other connectivity options. In addition, hardware such as routers and antennas on the receiving end is critical. Without the hands-on experience, it’s easy to assume that other radio alternatives such as public 4G/5G perform as well as private 5G. However, experience shows that these options often fall short of requirements.

Guidance for your 5G project

In general, the numerous use cases and varying requirements in 5G challenge project management. From our recent experience with 5G installations across different industries, we’ve gathered some interesting insights. Arguably, not revolutionary, however often overlooked.

Gate closing: Be clear on what to achieve and what is required to pass each gate before moving forward to next step of the project. It’s easy to end up in a spiral of different use cases and technical requirements, paralyzing the organization and addling little value. The key is to identify and agree on the potential, quickly narrow down what to test and how, and secure that value is proven early. Once this is achieved for one use case, the next becomes a priority exercise instead of another proof of concept.

Leverage experience: What you are set out to do has most likely been done before. In this project, Capgemini facilitated a visit to our Paris 5G lab, enabling hands-on experience of network set up, use cases and meetings with industry experts, sharing experience, challenges, and solutions. This proved to be a great experience and facilitated a steep learning curve on 5G radio networks and use cases. In addition, it can be very helpful to contact other companies in the same (or similar) industry to share experiences.

Think basics: There are multiple use cases enabled through a private 5G network, everything from improving onsite coverage, to drones, predictive maintenance, digital twin and AI applications. However, it might be the basics, that drives tangible benefits with little effort. One great example is replacing old, wired connections with 5G. Various sensors, cameras, and technical equipment across the airport are vital to operations and often dependent on wired connectivity, installed many years ago. Substituting old wire across and around the tarmac, and in the airport itself, with 5G radio is expected to save substantial time and money, compared with the cost of installing new cables.

Set the roadmap: Once the pre-study is completed, the work starts for real. Knowing what use cases to prioritize, how they relate to network requirements, and what the benefits are, will help set the direction and focus needed to succeed over time. Implementing 5G and associated use cases will be a long project, and it is vital to divide it in smaller, prioritized deliveries. This is not only a technology requirement; breaking down a big project into manageable chunks is easier for the workforce and organization and facilitates the transition to new ways of working. For the aviation case, the roadmap must cover different stakeholders across, and outside, the organization, such as ground operations, maintenance, different carriers, baggage handling and security – of which some are potential customers, keen to leverage the installed 5G network.

Final note: Relevance of 5G for your industry

A question that many companies ask is: “Is 5G really relevant for my business?” The short and honest answer is yes. Looking beyond the technology and focusing on the possibilities a private 5G network enables, you can see significant operational and financial benefits. No matter if it is the future of aviation operations, offshore worker safety or implementation of AI in the factory production line, 5G is often the missing link in your journey towards digitalization and the connected future.

Exploring 5G for your organization? Connect with our 5G Private Network team and let us know what you need.

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