The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has set up the International Centre for Aviation Innovation (ICAI) to propel aviation technology development in response to increasing air travel demand. The hub will be based in Singapore, a pivotal air hub in the Asia-Pacific region and will undertake R&D projects in next-generation air navigation services, automated and smart airports, unmanned aviation systems, and sustainable aviation.
The ICAI will bring together governments, industry, and research institutes to better leverage technology and address complex industry challenges such as ground and air space capacity constraints, manpower shortages, and the need to decarbonize air travel. The center will also work on translating research to deployment and capability development for the aviation system.
To pool scarce resources and share risks, the ICAI will adopt a systems lifecycle approach in managing R&D from concept ideation to solution development and conduct of trials with partners. A specialized Innovation Lab will also model, stimulate and validate new concept of operations and their benefits.
Han Kok Juan, the director-general of CAAS, has been appointed chair of the ICAI’s board, while Patrick Ky is ICAI’s founding CEO. Singapore’s National Research Foundation has awarded the ICAI SGD 140 million (USD 104 million) to kickstart operations. As the aviation sector looks to innovate and adapt to evolving demands, the establishment of the ICAI represents a pivotal step toward advancing aviation technology and sustainability on a global scale.
(Source: Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore)
