Interview with Dr. Ajay Sharma
AAnews Bureau
With a career spanning aviation design, technology integration, and sustainable infrastructure, Dr. Ajay Sharma stands among India’s foremost voices on intelligent airport engineering. A seasoned professional and thought leader, he combines academic depth with hands-on industry experience, championing innovation that bridges efficiency, safety, and sustainability. His insights on the evolution of ‘smart airports’ capture both the excitement of technological transformation and the grounded realism of an engineer who has seen the system from the inside out.
As air travel enters a new era of digital transformation, voices like Dr. Ajay Sharma’s remind us that the future of flight isn’t just about faster systems or smarter sensors — it’s about human-c-entered engineering that blends technology with trust, sustainability, and foresight. The smart airports of tomorrow will be more than gateways; they’ll be living ecosystems — designed to think, respond, and evolve with every traveller who passes through them.
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What inspired you to explore “smart airports” as a focus area?
My work in digital transformation has always revolved around solving complex infrastructure challenges using cloud, AI, and automation. Airports, in particular, are fascinating because they operate like miniature cities — high volumes, tight coordination, and enormous data flows.
What inspired me is the gap between what airports look like and how they actually run behind the scenes.
Many still rely on legacy systems, fragmented data, and manual processes. The opportunity to bring intelligence, sustainability, and real-time decision-making into such a critical global ecosystem made smart airports an ideal focus area.
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In simple terms, what makes an airport truly ‘smart’?
A smart airport is one that can sense, think, and respond.
It uses data from sensors, systems, and passengers to predict what will happen next — not just react.
If an airport can automatically anticipate congestion, optimise gates, adjust energy usage, and support passengers without friction, then it is truly smart.
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Which technologies do you believe are redefining airport operations today?
Four categories stand out:
- Digital Twins & Sensorization – providing real-time visibility and predictive simulation.
- AI & Machine Learning – forecasting passenger flows, resource needs, and disruptions.
- Automation & Robotics – from self-bag drops to autonomous logistics vehicles.
- Sustainable Edge & Micro Data Centers – like Vigyan Labs’ solutions that reduce energy use while enabling low-latency operations.
Together, these technologies are transforming airports from static infrastructure into dynamic, intelligent ecosystems.
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How can engineering innovation enhance both passenger experience and sustainability?
The best engineering solutions achieve both outcomes simultaneously.
For example, digital twins improve queue management and reduce passenger stress while also optimising HVAC and energy usage.
Similarly, sustainable micro data centers lower carbon footprint but also improve system reliability and response times.
Modern engineering must solve for comfort, efficiency, and environmental responsibility in one integrated approach.
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Many airports invest heavily in tech but struggle with integration — what’s the key to making it all work seamlessly?
Technology alone doesn’t create smart airports — architecture and governance do.
The key is:
- A unified data platform where all systems speak to each other.
- Clear ownership of digital strategy, not scattered across departments.
- Phased scaling, instead of running many pilots without integration.
The airports that succeed treat data as core infrastructure — just as important as runways and terminals. - Data and AI are at the heart of smart systems — how do we balance efficiency with data privacy and security?
By applying a “privacy-by-design” mindset.
Airports must ensure that biometric processing, sensor data, and AI models follow strict governance:
- Local processing through edge or micro data centers
- Transparent consent mechanisms
- Segregated OT/IT networks
- Continuous monitoring and encryption
Efficiency and privacy are not opposing forces — with the right architecture, they strengthen each other.
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What role do you see India and Asia playing in shaping next-generation airport ecosystems?
Asia — especially India — is uniquely positioned to lead.
The region has:
- Some of the largest aviation growth rates in the world
- A willingness to adopt new technology
- Ambitious green-infrastructure missions
India, in particular, can pioneer digital-first, sustainable airport models, integrating AI, biometrics, and green energy systems from the ground up — rather than retrofitting legacy environments.
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If you could redesign one aspect of today’s airports, what would you change first?
I would start with integrated operational visibility.
Most airports still run on siloed systems — baggage, security, gates, energy, and staffing rarely operate in sync.
A unified command platform powered by real-time data and digital twins would transform decision-making and ripple into every part of the passenger journey.
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Looking ahead, what will the ‘airport of 2035’ look like to you?
By 2035, airports will behave like self-optimising digital organisms:
- Digital twins predicting and resolving issues before they occur
- AI managing 80% of routine operational decisions
- Fully biometric, touchless passenger journeys
- Green energy, intelligent HVAC, and micro data centers reducing carbon footprints
- Seamless multimodal integration where the airport is part of a larger smart-city ecosystem
Travel will shift from being a process to being an intelligently orchestrated experience.
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One line of advice for young engineers or planners entering the smart-infrastructure space?
Focus on solving real problems with scalable, human-centric engineering — technology is powerful only when it improves lives and works sustainably at scale.
Quote :
“As airports transform into intelligent, interconnected systems, our biggest opportunity is to align technology, operations, and sustainability into one unified strategy. The airports that succeed will be those that invest in robust digital foundations, scale what works, and keep the passenger at the center of every decision. The future of aviation will be defined by integration, foresight, and purposeful innovation.”
