Eindhoven, the Netherlands – Net Display Systems, leading developer of digital signage software with airport solutions as a speciality, has launched an out-of-a-box display solution for small and medium-sized airports. With the PADS Airport suite airports get a range of applications that cover all needs for digital signage, including – but not limited to – FIDS, advertising and way finding.
Net Display Systems has been active in the aviation sector with flight information display system (FIDS) software since 1994. Today more than 60 airports worldwide daily rely on the software of this Dutch company for informing their passengers with up-to-date flight information. This includes airports of any size, from regional airports across Europe to the airports of Munich, Toronto and Newark.
“We see a growing demand by airports for a standard display solution that will give them full flexibility,” says Arthur Damen, head of product management at Net Display Systems. “Small and medium-sized airports [in particular] are looking for a simple, affordable solution for FIDS. Ideally the personnel of the airport should be able to install, maintain and work with the system themselves without any training or specific knowledge being required.
“Moreover flight information is no longer seen as something separate, but more and more becomes part of the big picture of digital signage at an airport. Airports want to be able to display any kind of information on the LCD displays across their entire terminal building. With this in mind, Net Display Systems have developed the PADS Airport suite.”
DIGITAL SIGNAGE SOFTWARE
The PADS Airport suite comprises software applications that give airports everything they need for a total digital signage solution.
In this range, FIDS still plays a central role. As part of the suite airports get a FIDS database plus a multi-user FIDS Manager application to store and maintain their flight-related information. The system includes timetable flights, operational flights, allocation of common as well as flight related check-ins, gates and baggage belts and more. Of course it supports IATA and ICAO standards and can deal with code-sharing and gate changes.
The really unique feature is the built-in reminder functionality, which automatically reminds operators about flight, check-in or gate statuses having to be changed. This saves airport operators an enormous amount of time.
For the displaying part the award-winning PADS Professional software of Net Display Systems is used. Airports have complete freedom to design their own screen layout or can use one of the many predesigned templates.
The PADS Cluster Viewer for handling banks of clustered displays and PADS Staff Viewer application for browsing through flight information complete the package.
ADVERTISING, WAY FINDING AND PAGING SIGNS
PADS Professional software can also create airport displays for purposes such as advertising, way finding, paging or anything else you can imagine.
Arthur Damen further stated: “As one of the very few manufacturers of FIDS software Net Display Systems also plays a leading role in other areas of digital signage. The airlines Lufthansa and KLM, for instance, use our software for corporate communication, while Bombardier, Boeing and Eurocopter use it at their manufacturing facilities.
“One in four of the world’s 100 most-recognised brands have already chosen our platform as their choice for digital signage. This includes companies like Coca Cola, IBM, Disney, SAP and IKEA.
“With the flexibility of PADS Professional software people can really make a combination of any content imaginable. The content can be displayed on the screens wherever and whenever desired. This gives airports the possibility to make flexible use of their displays.
“If there is no flight information, a screen can automatically switch over to advertising or live news from the Internet. Important paging messages can be displayed on the displays in the restaurants showing menu information. Also all screens in a certain area can automatically switch over to display emergency evacuation messages when needed. The possibilities are endless.”