Description: Predictive safety risk tools for airports utilize data analytics, Machine Learning (ML), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to forecast potential safety hazards and risks in airport operations before they escalate into incidents or accidents. These tools analyze patterns, trends, and anomalies in historical data to train ML models, forming the basis for real-time safety and risk monitoring systems. Parallel to predictive tools, digital twin technology has evolved, initially focusing on facility maintenance but increasingly applying to airport and airspace operations using real-time data, enabling simulation, efficiency optimization, safety enhancement, and decision-making support. These models can identify operational bottlenecks, improve safety protocols, and provide predictive analytics for informed decision-making. The proposed "Digital Airport Safety Twin" platform offers a comprehensive approach to managing airport safety risk by merging predictive safety tools and digital twin technology into a homogenous safety and risk management system that enables continuous monitoring of safety and risk patterns across airfields through historical operational data, human factors, weather data, and safety-related information. It employs ML algorithms to assess and quantify safety risks associated with various airport operations, helping prioritize safety improvements. By analyzing a wide range of data sources, including airport surface movement, flight operations quality, and weather data, the platform can predict safety incident likelihoods and support safety enhancements. AI and Large Language Models (LLMs) help translate complex human factors and interactions into measurable safety and risk metrics. The innovation can be used in-house at NASA to support aviation safety platforms and research (i.e. the DIP, ATM-X) but can also be integrated into commercial ATM tools and platforms as a safety service to support risk planning, Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO), and others.

Benefits: The proposed innovation brings the potential of predictive safety risk tools and digital twin technology to NASA in terms of a broader approach to safety management, risk assessment, and operational efficiency. Some of the key NASA applications that this innovation supports are: - Aviation Safety Research: NASA can use these tools in its aviation safety research programs such as the Aviation Safety Program (ASP) - Air Traffic Management Research: Through projects like Air Traffic Management-eXploration (ATM-X), NASA could leverage the predictive and digital twin capabilities to explore advanced concepts in air traffic management, including Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO) and Unmanned Aircraft Systems Traffic Management (UTM) - Decision Support Systems for Air Traffic Controllers: By integrating the platform into commercial Air Traffic Management (ATM) tools, NASA could enhance the capabilities of air traffic controllers, providing them with predictive insights into potential safety risks and improving their decision-making processes. - Spaceport Operations: As commercial space flight becomes more prevalent, NASA could use these tools to enhance the safety of spaceport operations, predicting potential hazards on the ground and in the airspace around spaceports. - Enhancing Human Factors Research: The use of AI and Large Language Models to translate complex human factors into measurable metrics can support NASA's research into human performance and safety in aviation, providing insights into how human factors contribute to safety risks and how they can be mitigated. The "Digital Airport Safety Twin" platform, leveraging predictive safety risk tools along with digital twin technology, offers numerous commercial opportunities from enhancing airport and airline operations to integrating into broader air traffic management systems. Some potential commercial opportunities include: - Safety as a Service for Airports and Airlines: Enabling users to continuously monitor and manage safety risks using potentially a subscription-based models where airports and airlines get access to a dashboard providing real-time insights into potential safety hazards and predictive analytics for decision support. - Air Traffic Management Solutions: Integrating this technology into existing ATM systems to enhance safety and efficiency in airspace operations. - Consultancy and Implementation Services: Services to customize and integrate the platform according to specific airport or airline needs, including training. - Partnerships with Aviation Regulatory Bodies: Collaborating with aviation regulatory bodies to develop and implement safety standards and practices. The platform could be used to inform regulations and guidelines, offering a data-driven approach to enhancing industry-wide safety. - Expansion to AAM Operations: Provide safety services to vertiport operators as well as AAM fleets - Data Analytics and Research Services: Further research and analytics services, offering insights into trends, risk factors, and safety improvements. - Integration with Emergency Response and Planning: Enhancing the platform to support emergency response planning and simulation, providing airports and emergency response teams with tools to prepare for and manage emergency situations more effectively. - Software as a Service (SaaS) for Small to Medium-Sized Airports: Developing a scaled-down, more affordable versions of the platform as a SaaS offering, making advanced safety and risk management tools accessible to smaller airports with limited budgets.