Purdue University Airport Will Host 'Lab To Life' Private 5G Test Platform

Purdue will provide use of its airport as well as the “lab to life” testbed established throughout the Discovery Park District at Purdue, a 400-acre, mixed-use development adjacent to the university’s campus.

Purdue University Airport (KLAF) announced on Monday (March 20) it is teaming with Saab and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provider Ericsson on a private 5G network. According to Purdue, airport sensors and systems typically need hardwired network connections sometimes requiring digging trenches for copper lines or fiber-optic cables.

Alternatives include radio-frequency links, which can be unreliable, or public cellular connections, which come with subscription fees and “consumer-oriented performance limitations.” According to Purdue, the new technology of the planned project will make previous connectivity obsolete. “5G innovation has promised to provide a new generation of capabilities for enterprises. This project aims to bring to life the benefits of private 5G for airports, where new high-performance networks can be tested in real-life scenarios.”

The partners call the 5G network project a “lab to life” enabling academics, researchers and business entities “to develop commercial solutions that can be replicated to improve operations and security at airports of all sizes.”

Specifically, Ericsson will contribute the private 5G network for the Purdue Research Foundation to operate at KLAF, Purdue University’s public-use airport, which conducts more than 125,000 aircraft operations per year. Saab will install its Aerobahn platform, which includes the SAFE Event Management security network used in airport operation centers.

Editor

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.