In a bid to meet the aggressive air traffic growth, Airports Authority of India (AAI) has embarked upon the creation of world-class R & D Center at Hyderabad to develop in-house research capabilities in the field of airport and air navigation services. The Civil Aviation Research Organization will be established at Begumpet Airport, Hyderabad over an area of about 27 acres with a budget of approximately Rs.1200 crores spread over 12 years for R & D Infrastructure development and Rs. 31 crores annually that will be spent towards research activities every year.

As a first step towards this, AAI has joined hands with Indian Institute of Technology Madras, to take up collaborative research on Air Navigation Systems. This would support AAI in addressing aviation infrastructure and air traffic management challenges for the common good of Indian Economy.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Shri A.K. Dutta, Member (Air Navigation Services), AAI and Prof. Ravindra Gettu, Dean (Industrial Consultancy and Sponsored Research), IIT Madras in the presence of IIT Experts and top-ranking officials from AAI on 23rd May 2018 in Chennai.

This MoU provides for the transfer of knowledge /skill by IIT Madras experts in the areas of Mathematical/Analytical/Artificial Intelligence/Data mining solutions that are essential to carry out research. AAI will be providing a unique opportunity to Researchers of IIT Madras by way of exposure to the new dimension of Air Navigation Services leading to innovative ideas in the field. This will ultimately open up many areas in the aviation arena to the start-up companies and other industries in India to introduce products under “Make in India” policy of the Government of India