What key lessons can other airports or public-sector organizations learn from MIA’s experience?

Speaker: Johnathan Lewis, Innovation Division Director, Miami Dade Aviation Department

First, I would absolutely recommend getting a consultant, as I mentioned earlier. Second, I would examine the subscription and licensing costs very carefully — not just the costs themselves, but the different subscription and licensing options available.

I would also look closely at the vendor’s support model. What does their Tier 3 and Tier 4 support look like? If my network goes down, can I call and open a ticket and have someone working with me immediately? Or am I submitting a ticket and waiting 24 hours for a response — meanwhile, my network is still down?

There is a lot of “devil in the details” when it comes to Day 2 services — the support you need once the system is actually operational and mission-critical. You need a reputable and reliable vendor who can support you in real time.

For airports specifically — and I’ll speak for us — we’re now placing critical infrastructure on this network. That means I need a vendor who is responsive and immediately available when issues arise. If you’re talking about running autonomous vehicles on the apron of your airport and you encounter connectivity issues, you can’t have a vendor who says, “I’ll be with you in 48 hours,” or “I’m not sure,” or “You’ll need to upgrade your platform for that to work.”

That cannot happen. You must be extremely careful in selecting your vendor. It’s one of the most important decisions you’ll make.