CLT Launches Runway Digital Twin Program with UNC Charlotte

Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) has launched a runway instrumentation and digital twin program in partnership with the University of North Carolina at Charlotte’s Aviation and Innovation Research Institute, integrating real-time data collection into one of its largest capital projects.

The program will embed pavement sensors into the airport’s fourth parallel runway, currently under construction, to monitor performance and maintenance needs. Airport officials said the data will support day-to-day operational decisions and inform future airfield pavement design standards through collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration.

The initiative stems from a memorandum of understanding signed in September 2025 between CLT and Charlotte AIR, a research partnership focused on advancing airport operations through applied innovation. The runway project itself was identified in the airport’s 2016 master plan update to address growing demand while maintaining operational efficiency.

Jack Christine, chief infrastructure officer at CLT, said the program reflects the airport’s approach to integrating research and technology into infrastructure delivery, positioning the airport as a testing environment for new solutions.

Project stakeholders said the digital twin model will generate data and insights that can be used by both the airport and federal agencies to improve design, construction and lifecycle management of airfield pavements nationwide.

The approximately $6.5 million program is supported through a combination of grants, committed funding and in-kind contributions, including a $2 million award from the FAA’s Airport Concrete Pavement Technology Program. Construction of the 10,000-foot runway is ongoing, with commissioning targeted for fall 2027.