Business Case
Ask Mansoor, the AI PMO adviser, for a decision-ready business case.
I am Mansoor, your AI PMO adviser. Choose a question and I will prepare a business case with options, costs, benefits and a recommendation.
Suggested questions
You have asked every suggested question.
National Drone Registration Platform
Summary
Registration of unmanned aircraft runs on paper forms and email, with approvals that take up to 21 days. The authority has no single live register of drones and operators, which limits oversight and fee collection as drone use grows.
Options
| Option | Cost | Benefit | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Keep the current process | AED 1.9M a year to run | None. Backlogs grow with volume. | Weak oversight and lost fees. |
| B. Extend the licensing portal | AED 7.2M to build, 1.4M a year | Online forms, but no live register. | Fits poorly, so rework is likely. |
| C. New integrated registry platform | AED 18.5M to build, 1.6M a year | Live register, 3-day approvals, permits and fees in one place. | Highest cost and a 12-month build. |
Expected benefits
- Approval time falls from 21 days to 3 days.
- One verified register of all drones and operators.
- About AED 5.6M a year in fees that are missed today.
- About 11,000 staff hours a year saved, worth AED 3.6M.
Financials
| Five-year cost | AED 26.5M |
| Five-year benefit | AED 36.8M, from year 2 |
| Net benefit | AED 10.3M |
| Payback | Year 4 |
Risks and mitigations
- Late data from the airspace authorisation service. Agree the interface in the first month.
- Low operator uptake. Make registration a condition of every new permit.
Approve option C. It is the only option that gives a live register, and it returns more than it costs within five years.
Next steps
- Confirm the budget with Finance.
- Draft the Scope of Work in Scope Management.
- Present to the Investment Committee.
Mansoor is an adviser. Review the answer before it enters your governance process.
ATC Voice and Flight Data Replacement
Summary
The voice communication and flight data systems in two area control centres are more than 12 years old. Spare parts are scarce and unplanned outages rise every year, so continuity of control service is at stake.
Options
| Option | Cost | Benefit | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Extend support on the old systems | AED 14.0M over five years | Lowest cost now. | Outages keep rising. Parts may run out. |
| B. Replace voice only | AED 38.0M | Fixes the most visible failures. | Flight data stays a single point of failure. |
| C. Replace voice and flight data in both centres | AED 96.0M to build, 4.2M a year | Redundant systems and 80% fewer unplanned outages. | Cutover must keep control service running. |
Expected benefits
- No single point of failure in voice or flight data.
- Unplanned outages fall by about 80%.
- About AED 11M a year of delay and disruption cost avoided.
- Meets ICAO and EUROCAE standards.
Financials
| Five-year cost | AED 117.0M |
| Costs avoided over five years | AED 55.0M |
| Basis for the decision | Safety and continuity, not payback |
Risks and mitigations
- Equipment lead time of 9 months. Place the order in the first quarter.
- Cutover only between 01:00 and 04:00. Plan rehearsals and a rollback for each step.
Approve option C. The case rests on safety and service continuity. Option B leaves flight data as a single point of failure.
Next steps
- Validate the scope in Scope Management.
- Open vendor engagement for the 9-month lead time.
- Brief the Executive Director, Air Navigation.
Mansoor is an adviser. Review the answer before it enters your governance process.
Aviation Academy Digital Learning
Summary
Training for inspectors and controllers is delivered in classrooms. Courses are full, and staff at remote airports travel to the academy for every course, which costs time and money.
Options
| Option | Cost | Benefit | Main risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Keep classroom training | No new cost | None. Waiting lists continue. | Capacity gap widens. |
| B. Buy generic online courses | AED 5.5M | Fast to start. | Content is not specific to UAE aviation rules. |
| C. Own platform with 30 digitised courses | AED 12.0M to build, 0.8M a year | Own content, certification records and 40% more seats. | Course owners must give time to digitise. |
Expected benefits
- 60% of theory training online within 18 months.
- Travel days per trainee fall by 40%.
- One certified record per trainee.
Financials
| Five-year cost | AED 16.0M |
| Five-year benefit | AED 18.4M, from year 2 |
| Net benefit | AED 2.4M |
| Payback | Year 5 |
Risks and mitigations
- Low take-up by instructors. Include them in the course design from the start.
- Online pass rates fall below classroom rates. Track them from the first cohort.
Approve option C, in two waves of 15 courses. The financial return is modest, so the case rests on capacity and quality.
Next steps
- Choose the first 15 courses with the Head of Learning and Development.
- Draft the Scope of Work in Scope Management.
Mansoor is an adviser. Review the answer before it enters your governance process.