• Zero Trust Access (ZTA): No user or system, local or remote, is trusted by default. Identity-based access is mandatory for every data request within the Aero-Factory zones.
• Deep Packet Inspection (DPI): The Flight Data Bridge (IDMZ) inspects all traffic at the protocol level to identify and block malicious payloads before they reach the OT layer.
• Cyber-Physical Safety Interlocks: Hardware-level logic in the Flight Plant Zone that can override remote software commands to prevent physical accidents.
• End-to-End Encryption: All data is secured using AES-256 at rest and TLS 1.3 in transit, ensuring privacy from the runway sensors to the Cloud.
• Unified Identity Management: Centralized SSO and Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) govern all administrative interactions across the entire Aero-Factory instance.

Deployment Zones

The deployment model implements a hybrid, zoned architecture in which Perdue Levels 0–4 are permanently on-premises, Level 5 is deployable either on-premises or in the cloud, and Level 6 capabilities are cloud-native, enabling operational stability while supporting scalable digital innovation.

The deployment model is structured into three zones to separate workloads with fundamentally different operational, security, and scalability requirements.

The cloud-native enterprise and digital zone (Perdue Level 6) is dedicated to scalable, cloud-native capabilities such as analytics, data platforms, and digital services. Isolating these workloads in the cloud enables innovation and global optimization without introducing risk or dependency into industrial operations.

The enterprise hybrid zone (Perdue Level 5) provides a flexible layer for business and integration services that do not require real-time control. Allowing this zone to run either on-premises or in the cloud enables deployment decisions to be driven by business, regulatory, or cost considerations while maintaining a clear separation between OT systems and cloud services.

The on-premises industrial & site zone (Perdue Levels 0–4) hosts systems that interact with physical processes and therefore require deterministic performance, low latency, and high availability. Keeping these levels fully on-premises ensures operational continuity, safety, and independence from external connectivity.

These three deployment zones exist to ensure that operational stability, enterprise flexibility, and digital scalability can each be optimized independently, while preserving strong architectural and security boundaries between them.

Deployment Models

The deployment model is determined by key business constraints, specifically whether the Aero-Factory serves a single airport or multiple airports, and whether the terminals at each airport are interconnected via appropriate IT network.

• Model 1: Single airport with embedded terminals

  

  In this model, the airport operates as a unified architectural entity where all internal terminals are integrated under a single management umbrella. The Flight Plant Zones (Edges) and Flight Data Bridges (Proxies) at each terminal feed into a shared SkyUnity Local Zone (Site Hub) located on-premise, which serves as the consolidated gateway for the entire airport. This setup prioritizes operational efficiency and cost-optimization by centralizing the orchestration layer, allowing the SkyUnity Corporate Zone (Central Hub) to interface with the airport as a single, cohesive site. It is the ideal configuration for organizations seeking streamlined governance and simplified cross-terminal data aggregation.

• Model 2: Single airport with isolated terminals

  

  This model shifts the orchestration boundary downward, treating each terminal as a fully autonomous architectural unit. In this configuration (known as Multi-OT setup), the SkyUnity Local Zone (Site Hub) is deployed within the terminal's own infrastructure alongside the Flight Plant Zone (Edge) and Flight Data Bridge (Proxy), creating a self-contained three-zone stack on-premise. By decentralizing the Local Zone, the architecture eliminates inter-terminal dependencies and enhances fault isolation; however, it changes the corporate perspective, as the SkyUnity Corporate Zone (Central Hub) now recognizes and interfaces with each terminal as an independent site (e.g., "Airport 1, Terminal 1" vs. "Airport 1, Terminal 2"). This model is specifically engineered for high-security environments or large-scale hubs where terminal-level sovereignty and maximum operational resilience are paramount.

• Model 3: Multiple airports (hybrid deployment)

  

  Aero-Factory may be deployed over multiple airports with embedded terminals, isolated terminals, or a mix of both (ilustrated on the diagram above).

  This hybrid deployment model is designed for enterprise-level orchestration across a diverse portfolio of geographical sites, accounting for varying levels of local infrastructure maturity and regulatory requirements. In this setup, the SkyUnity Corporate Zone (Central Hub) acts as a global "Manager of Managers," seamlessly integrating multiple airports that may be utilizing either Model 1 (Embedded) or Model 2 (Isolated) architectures. This model supports connection to both shared Local Zones, serving multiple sites within a region, and dedicated Local Zones for high-autonomy terminals.

  This tiered complexity is frequently mandated by National Operators and civil aviation authorities (such as ADP Group, Fraport, or Aena) that oversee vast networks of international hubs and smaller regional strips, requiring a unified "Cradle-to-Grave" trace while respecting the specific operational sovereignty of each individual site.

Key Observations: The "SkyUnity Local Zone" is the Pivot Point: In Model 1, it’s a shared service for the airport; in Model 2, it’s a dedicated service for the terminal.

Information Trace Continuity: In all three models, the "No Secrets" Principle remains intact because the data must pass through the Flight Data Bridge before reaching any version of the SkyUnity Local Zone.

Identity Management: In Model 2 and 3, unique Site IDs become critical as the SkyUnity Corporate Zone must distinguish between fragmented data sources from the same physical airport.

Data Flow