Indra Group launches Linkia, the first digital platform capable of integrating all air traffic management systems into a common infrastructure

AirSpace World, the largest event in the air traffic industry to be held in Lisbon, will be the stage chosen by Indra Group to present Linkia, the first digital platform on the market specifically designed to integrate all of the air traffic management (ATM) systems of air navigation service providers (ANSPs) into a common, independent, and scalable infrastructure.

In this respect, Indra Group will align itself with the vision of the Digital European Sky, the European initiative geared towards the modernization, digitization, and interoperability of air traffic management systems, by providing a model capable, for the first time, of flexibly integrating the operations and updates of ANSP applications into a common and scalable infrastructure, bringing about a structural change in the way in which the systems are managed.

The solution, natively designed for ATM and based on IndraMind, Indra Group’s secure and cyber-resilient artificial intelligence platform for critical operations, will respond to an increasingly demanding and interconnected operating environment, in which the growth of air traffic, congestion, and the interdependence of systems are transforming airspace management. Linkia has therefore been designed to address the challenges related to the digital transformation, security, agility, and operational complexity of current-day air transport.

Within this context, any incident can generate chain effects requiring faster and more coordinated decision-making based on real-time data. At the same time, the technological evolution of the industry remains conditioned by the co-existence of legacy systems, rigid architectures, and stringent regulatory requirements.

Indra Group’s new solution acts as an intermediary software layer that enables multiple ATM applications, regardless of their provider and technological generation, to co-exist within a unified infrastructure, doing away with the need for isolated environments and significantly reducing any operational complexities. Air navigation service providers will therefore be able to deploy, upgrade, and scale applications in a matter of hours, without the need for specific infrastructure engineering projects for each implementation.

“With Linkia we’re taking a decisive step towards the transformation of the ANSP operating model. We’re not simply integrating systems; we’re changing the way in which ATM operations are managed. “At Indra Group we’ve designed a platform that’s capable of progressing continuously, operating in critical systems, and simplifying operations, laying the foundations for the future of air traffic by combining technological innovation and applicable regulation”, explained Victor Martínez, Executive Vice President of ATM at Indra.

Technology in constant evolution

The solution is designed to operate in cloud environments, integrating the highest security and regulatory requirements of the aeronautical industry from the outset. Furthermore, its architecture is infrastructure-agnostic to facilitate its secure deployment in on-premises and public, private, and hybrid cloud environments, enabling air navigation service providers to move towards more digital operating models in a progressive and controlled manner.

Linkia also envisages the progressive and safe incorporation of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence under the specific regulatory requirements of the critical air traffic management environment, guaranteeing their safe and controlled integration. In this regard, it will facilitate the evolution towards a more automated, predictive, efficient, and secure environment.

With decades of proven experience in the implementation of complex projects behind it, Indra Group stands at the forefront of the development of solutions covering the entire air traffic management cycle and ongoing innovation within the industry by means of the evolution of its platforms towards more digital and automated models. Its technology can be found in more than 90% of daily flights worldwide and it boasts a portfolio encompassing ATM automation systems, radars, communications, navigation aids, digital towers, advanced simulation, drone management, and space solutions applied to air navigation.