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Aida Controller

Aida Controller is a Dockerized on-premises edge agent for the Aida Platform. It discovers IoT devices on local networks, organizes them into clusters, provides a local operator UI, runs edge policies (circadian lighting, schedules, event routing), manages OTA firmware updates, and syncs state to the Aida cloud via AWS IoT Core MQTTS.

Overview​

Each building or site runs its own controller appliance. The controller handles local automation, device integration, and BACnet/IP exposure to the BMS — and keeps operating when WAN connectivity is lost. The cloud-based Aida Platform aggregates data from all controllers, provides multi-site dashboards, and enables third-party integrations.

Architecture​

Aida Controller uses a hybrid architecture: on-premises control combined with centralized cloud management. Secure APIs and industry protocols (HTTPS, MQTTS, CoAP, MQTT, BACnet/IP) connect building systems, the local controller, and the platform.

Controller vs Platform​

Aida Controller (on-premises):

  • Single-site building automation and device orchestration
  • Local web UI for commissioning, control, and troubleshooting
  • Primary interface for facility operators on site
  • Connects to Aida Platform for fleet management and remote access

Aida Platform (cloud):

  • Multi-site portfolio management
  • Centralized dashboards, AI assistant, and integrations
  • Connects to many controllers via secure cloud sync

Core Capabilities​

  • Device discovery and control — CoAP/CBOR, MQTT, HTTP, RS-485 (Somfy SDN), SNMP, and BACnet/IP
  • Cluster management — Group devices by floor, zone, or building; stable IDs for BACnet exports
  • Edge policies — Circadian schedules, automation rules, and event routing
  • OTA firmware — Managed firmware images and rollout jobs
  • Cloud sync — Facility model and telemetry to Aida Platform over MQTTS (X.509 mTLS)
  • BMS integration — BACnet/IP server and legacy-compatible Public REST API

Technology Stack​

LayerTechnology
FrontendReact 18, TypeScript, Vite, Tailwind CSS
BackendPython 3.12, FastAPI, SQLAlchemy 2 (async), Celery
DataPostgreSQL 16, Redis 7
DeployDocker Compose — Nginx, FastAPI, Celery, PostgreSQL, Redis, Host Controller
CloudAWS IoT Core (MQTTS)

Installation​

The production installer runs on a supported Linux host with sudo. It installs Docker if needed, pulls the controller stack from ECR, and lays out config under /opt/aida-controller by default.

curl -fsSL https://aida-platform.com/controller/install.sh | sudo bash

Prerequisites​

  • Ubuntu or Debian host (the installer can install Docker and Docker Compose v2)
  • Network access to local building devices and, optionally, AWS IoT Core for cloud sync
  • sudo for install and service management

After install​

  • Default install directory: /opt/aida-controller
  • Helper scripts: start.sh, stop.sh, and uninstall.sh in the install directory
  • Open the controller web UI at the host's LAN address (port configured during bootstrap)
  • Pair the controller with your Aida Platform organization from the platform UI or bootstrap flow

Optional environment variables (AIDA_INSTALL_DIR, RELEASE_TAG, and others) are documented in the install script.

API Documentation​

The Aida Controller provides two integration surfaces for external systems:

  • Controller Public API — /aida/api/* for external integrators (BMS adjuncts, scripts, legacy 1.0 clients). Same contract as Controller 1.0.
  • Controller BACnet/IP Server — /api/v1/bacnet/* + UDP 47808 for BMS ReadProperty/WriteProperty on cluster zones.

Municipal and government projects: see Controller BACnet/IP in the sidebar — start with BACnet/IP Server, then Municipal BMS Integration Brief for protocol FAQ, Level 1 vs Level 2, PICS, and commissioning.

  • Internal UI API — /api/v1/* for the controller web application (Swagger at /docs on the appliance).

Interactive OpenAPI docs are available on each controller at /docs (tags: health, public-api, then internal groups).

Support​

For support, contact your system administrator or MHT Technologies.