The Aviation Studies Institute in the Singapore University of Technology and Design is established jointly with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. The ASI aims to be one of the world’s leading centres of aviation policy research and thought leadership. We are dedicated to the advancement of aviation in the Asia-Pacific region by addressing the needs of aviation stakeholders – including Air Traffic Managers, policy-makers, and airport operators.
The future of aviation rests on a culture of collaboration. ASI supports this vision and takes a collaborative approach in its research efforts, capability development and engagement activities.
1. Conducts operational and policy-relevant research in aviation, air traffic management, and airport operations;
2. Understands and articulates the aviation challenges of states like Singapore within the Asia-Pacific region;
3. Provides new insights, perspectives, and potential solutions to aviation challenges faced by the regional and international aviation community; and
4. Nurtures a community of local and global scholars based in Singapore who will promote sustainable aviation growth and develop innovative solutions to the challenges confronting Singapore and the wider region.
The Aviation Studies Institute applies strong capabilities in systems engineering, optimisation and analysis to solve aviation industry challenges. Based at SUTD, we leverage upon the wider capabilities of the university which includes autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, data science, engineering product development, urban planning, architecture, robotics and sustainable design.
Together with our industry relationships, we focus our research towards applied outcomes that support a range of regional stakeholders and can be advanced further into products.
We pursue our current research through the following 4 tracks:
ASEAN Network Collaboration Using FF-ICE – This research track focuses on the opportunities and challenges presented by greater collaboration in air traffic management across ASEAN. The research aims to investigate the trade-offs and priorities for the region as it develops, as enabled by greater information availability and digital communications. It attempts to develop solutions that provide insights, directions, as well as opportunities that foster collaboration across multiple stakeholders.
Airfield and Airspace Management – This research track focuses on overcoming challenges to integrate both airfield and airspace operations in an optimised manner. The research considers both the complementary and competing perspectives of air traffic management, airport management and airline management. The research seeks to develop software that can automate these processes for rapid evaluation and decision support.
Airport Ground Operations – This research track focuses on the complex management of aircraft turnaround operations, which require seamless coordination among various vehicles and personnel while adhering to intricate precedence constraints. The research explores opportunities to enhance turnaround efficiency through data-driven deployment strategies, optimized process modelling, and increased automation.
Implementing Game-Based Learning for Probationary Air Traffic Control Officer (PATCO) – This research track focuses on developing a suite of low-fidelity software games to help PATCO students acquire fundamental air traffic control skills, such mastering heading direction, understanding basic procedures, and familiarizing themselves with key nomenclature. These games serve as an essential preparatory step, allowing students to build foundational competencies before progressing to high-fidelity simulators that replicate a real ATC environment.
Prof. Rakesh Nagi
Institute Director
Assistant Prof. Nuno Ribeiro
Deputy Institute Director
Ms Candice Chan
Assistant Director
