One of the digital strategy's most significant and qualifying projects for the coming years is the digitalization of the physical space in our airport infrastructure, through the introduction of new technologies in the IoT area, capable of maximising interaction with our airports' passengers and operators.
A platform is to be implemented which will centrally manage the sensors installed in our airports (e.g. wi-fi, cameras and beacons) and provide the company with information collected for the development of high added-value vertical applications.
Big Data collected this way can be utilised to develop applications in B2C, B2B and Operations such as: targeted advertising based on the user's position (Proximity Marketing), the creation of predictive models in the area of security and operations, indoor navigation, heat maps of real-time airport presences, etc.
SEA is planning on installing more than 2,000 beacons in Malpensa Terminal 1 for this project by H1 2019.
In 2018, we decided to develop our own indoor navigation system - until now entrusted to Google and Apple to guide passengers within our airports and with delays in its updating - by utilising our own beacon and wi-fi network (indoor positioning) to allow passengers to navigate inside our airport terminals and benefit from the augmented reality of their smartphones.
We are therefore in the process of designing an app dedicated to Indoor Positioning & Navigation which will be capable of:
- locating the user in indoor areas with a level of precision of up to one metre;
- providing the user with an indoor navigation in Augmented Reality experience;
- accompanying the user in reaching the previously-selected PoI (Point of Interest);
- show the user information, coupons and commercial suggestions based on their position, in the form of proximity notifications.