Quantum computing: Creating algorithms to optimize airport operations

Translating basic research into everyday applications, the Institute for Quantum Physics (IQP) at the University of Hamburg and the IT service provider Lufthansa Industry Solutions are working together on quantum algorithms to optimize airport operations. This collaboration aims to solve an issue known to airport operators around the world: the gate assignment problem. IFB Hamburg, the promotional bank for the state of Hamburg, is supporting the project as part of its quantum computing funding initiative.

Norderstedt, June 27, 2024 – The traveling salesman problem is an established mathematical problem: in essence, it demonstrates that the more visits a salesman has to make, the more difficult it becomes to determine the optimal sales route. Exponential growth in the number of routes on offer makes the problem far more complex than it first appears. The same principle applies to the “gate assignment problem” in which airplanes arriving at an airport need to be allocated to a free gate.

„Gate assignment problem: If there are five available gates and one airplane, there are only five possibilities. If you have 15 gates and 10 aircraft to assign, there are over 570 billion possibilities.“

Dr. Joseph Doetsch
Quantum Computing Lead at Lufthansa Industry Solutions

A simple example illustrates the scale of the challenge: “If there are five available gates and one airplane, there are only five possibilities. This case is easy for the air traffic controllers to handle. However, if there are five available gates and two airplanes, there are 25 possible choices – and most airports are larger than that. If you have 15 gates and 10 aircraft to assign, there are over 570 billion possibilities,” explains Dr. Joseph Doetsch, Quantum Computing Lead at Lufthansa Industry Solutions (LHIND). Given the computational complexity, such problems soon push conventional computers to their limits. Yet, optimal gate allocation is hugely important for passengers and airlines alike in the interests of saving time and improving efficiency. “Algorithms developed to date for combinatorial optimization problems do not scale well at all, with computation time rising disproportionately as the size of the problem increases. This makes real-time solutions for practical industry applications impossible, even for supercomputers. Instead, from a mathematical perspective, only approximation solutions have been used to date,” says Prof. Dieter Jaksch, a quantum physicist at the University of Hamburg.

The world’s first application of its kind

The University of Hamburg and Lufthansa Industry Solutions have now launched a collaborative project to find a better solution to this problem. “We’re working on a quantum algorithm that’s scalable and takes account of all realistic boundary conditions for airports. It would make us the first in the world to tackle the gate assignment problem without using conventional computers by instead turning to quantum computers, which should be far better suited to the task,” says Jaksch. The project partners are leaders in their respective fields. The IQP at the University of Hamburg has acquired an outstanding reputation around the world for developing efficient quantum algorithms. As a subsidiary of Lufthansa, LHIND is intimately familiar with the requirements of airlines and airports, and has been working intensively on the topic of quantum computing for several years.

„We’re working on a quantum algorithm that’s scalable and takes account of all realistic boundary conditions for airports."

Prof. Dr. Dieter Jaksch
Quantum physicist at the University of Hamburg

Quantum software is specifically tailored to the respective quantum computing architecture, so it is vital to take hardware development into consideration. The first commercially applicable quantum computers are currently making their way onto the market. “Our gate assignment solution is now available, so airports can use it for planning and real-time control activities. It’s currently based on conventional computers and will be further enhanced through the use of quantum computers in the coming years. In this context, we benefit from our city’s extensive talent pool and the strong culture of support in Hamburg,” says Doetsch.

The project, which is scheduled to run for a three-year term, has been awarded funding as part of the IFB Hamburg’s quantum computing initiative. The bank’s funding initiative aims to foster, establish and strengthen Hamburg as a location for quantum computing.

The University of Hamburg is already collaborating with Hamburg University of Technology on the “Hamburg Quantum Computing School” project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). In addition, LHIND is a founding member of Hamburg Quantum Innovation Capital (hqic) – a central, cross-industry contact, coordinator and ecosystem builder of quantum technologies.