Unifi collaborates with Microsoft and Artis Consulting to apply artificial intelligence and advanced data modeling to its ground safety operations
For all of its ground handling contracts, Unifi, the largest aviation services provider in North America, uses a sophisticated safety risk analytics model developed with assistance from Microsoft Azure and Artis Consulting.
Unifi developed this model to enhance operations in collaboration with Artis Consulting, a Microsoft partner consulting business, using Microsoft Azure technologies like Azure AI, Azure Machine Learning, and Power BI.
This level of modeling is unheard of in the aviation services sector and is used to identify and evaluate potential safety risks in the future. The two-phase technique discusses how to modify the outcome and assists in predicting what might happen. The predictive component of the first phase, which runs three models each day, produces forecasts twice a day in the following areas:
- Enterprise safety risk
- risk of ground damage to aircraft
- Risk of employee injury
The second section, which is prescriptive in nature, offers recommendations for actions. Based on 30 variables and more than 500 data points, including personnel levels, tenure of leadership and employees, training, equipment quality and age, weather, and more, the system gives risk values at the organizational, regional, contract, and customer levels. The predictive component has had a steady 94 percent accuracy rate since its launch in August 2022.
“Safety is the number one priority for Unifi. We constantly explore ways to leverage technology to improve safety for our employees, customers, and the equipment they operate. This modeling is an excellent way to use our vast data to mitigate risks effectively.”
Brian Bartal, Senior VP of Safety & Compliance, Unifi
“Unifi leveraged various Azure technologies such as ADLS, Databricks, Delta Lake to integrate 25+ data sources, only then could we take advantage of Machine Learning and Power BI to develop the predictive and prescriptive model in a user-friendly way.”
Sandeep Angra, Chief Technology Officer, Unifi
“The Artis Consulting team was excited to partner with Unifi and Microsoft to architect and implement a Safety & Analytics platform on Microsoft Azure. By utilizing machine learning to predict the likelihood of safety incidents and propose prescriptive actions to mitigate the risk, Unifi will be able to better serve their customers and improve overall safety.”
Terry Smith, Principal, Artis Consulting
“To improve travel operations and create a seamless experience for airlines, aviation services need to operate resiliently and have the opportunity to manage risks through data and predictive analytics. Unifi is using Power BI and Azure Machine Learning technologies to proactively improve employee safety and deliver operational efficiencies.”
Julie Shaincock, Global Travel and Transportation Industry Leader, Microsoft
