IoT in Airports

In recent years, airports in India have been implementing a comprehensive Smart Airport strategy, aiming to enhance passenger experience, optimize operational efficiency, and enable intelligent facility management. Among the high-traffic areas, restrooms are essential public facilities, with their management playing a key role in shaping overall service quality and passenger satisfaction. The level of hygiene and timely maintenance directly impacts passenger perception, making restroom management a critical focus in smart airport upgrades.

Data Analysis and Control directly improve hygiene, communication, people counting and services

To address the challenges of restroom management at one of India's busiest international airports, a comprehensive Smart Washroom Solution was deployed using Milesight devices and an advanced LoRaWAN®-based IoT system. This system integrates a variety of sensors and gateways to provide real-time monitoring of restroom occupancy, hygiene levels, and consumable management.

Flow Management:

VS341 Desk & Seat Occupancy Sensor tracks real-time occupancy of individual toilet stalls to pinpoint occupied or vacant cubicles. VS351 Mini AI Thermopile People Counter counts overall restroom passenger flow instead, allowing airport operators to flexibly arrange cleaning staff amid peak visiting hours. Data from both sensors jointly realizes data-driven washroom flow management.

Hygiene Monitoring:

WS201 Smart Fill Level Monitoring Sensor keeps real-time tabs on remaining toilet paper levels to alert staff for timely restocking before shortages happen, while GS301 Bathroom Odor Detector continuously detects abnormal odors within restroom spaces. All collected real-time data helps the site team carry out targeted hygiene maintenance efficiently.

UC300 LoRaWAN® Controllers work in combination with third-party sensors to monitor hygiene-related factors like hand sanitizer levels and soap dispensers.

Communication Network:

All sensors connect to UG65 Indoor LoRaWAN® Gateways and UG67 Outdoor LoRaWAN® Gateways, which forward collected sensor data to the central monitoring platform. The gateways deliver long-distance, stable communication throughout the airport's extensive facilities and enable uninterrupted data transmission even amid potential signal interference.

Data Analysis and Control:

Data is forwarded to the AeroWise Platform, which analyzes the collected data in real-time. The platform provides insights and triggers automatic actions when certain thresholds are met, such as:

• Cleanliness alerts when hygiene levels drop.

• Occupancy and flow optimization based on restroom usage.

• Resource replenishment alerts when consumables (e.g., soap, toilet paper) need restocking.

Operational Action:

Based on the real-time data, janitor staff are notified to clean or replenish items in specific restrooms, ensuring timely maintenance and improving the overall experience for passengers. The system eliminates the need for manual inspection and fixed schedules, allowing for data-driven operational decisions.