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News  |  May 12, 2022  |  Christine Furey

Atlanta Int’l Leverages GIS Mapping for Indoor Terminal Areas

Arora Engineers (Arora) was included in the May 2022 issue of Airport Improvement Magazine in an article entitled, “Atlanta Int’l Leverages GIS Mapping for Indoor Terminal Areas.” The article discusses how Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL) began focusing attention on leveraging geographic information system (GIS) to improve operational efficiencies within the interior spaces of its two terminals and seven concourses. The goal is to bring together a wide range of data to gain a better understanding of assets and facilities and how they operate in real time.

Working as the lead consultant, Arora leveraged the power of Esri’s ArcGIS, a mapping and spatial analytics software. Digital mapping software helps consultants, vendors, and service providers work more efficiently at the airport. ATL uses ArcGIS to map its interior workings and fill the gap of navigating indoors.

In the article, Thomas Tiner, Manager of Geospatial Practice Solutions for Arora, explains that Indoor positioning systems (IPS) is similar to the navigational app Waze. He says, “Users have the ability to select a location they want to go to, like a gate or concession area, and it routes them to that location.” Esri technology includes an option to use the maps, without a network or cellular connection, by downloading this data before entry. Once reconnected, any data added by the user is automatically synchronized. In addition to helping develop the new mapping system, Arora trained staff on how to curate and maintain the data it produces. Arora developed a comprehensive data maintenance manual to help the airport team continue on its own.

Working with the airport, Arora also migrated floor plan data in CAD format to the Esri database. As a team, they determined the points of interest to be created, pinpointing important sites like fire extinguishers, elevators/escalators, automated external defibrillators and more.

ATL is continuing to work on integrating lease management information into the system so that airport staff can view lease expiration dates at a glance by using an interactive map versus looking up individual dates and tenants on a spreadsheet. To learn more about our scope of work on this project, click here.

To read the full article, click here.

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