Airbus, Spanish Air Force develop drone maintenance inspections

The Spanish Air Force has become the first air force to support development of Airbus’ drone and augmented reality (AR)-based maintenance inspection services.

The technology initially will be tried on Spanish Air Force A400M aircraft, consolidating algorithms for safe autonomous drone flight around an aircraft and processing terabytes of images and data as a deep-learning library to develop an artificial intelligence-based defects detection system.

Data can be securely displayed on tablets and AR glasses, allowing staff to quickly identify and apply maintenance procedures and corrective actions while ensuring all inspection and maintenance procedures are formally and fully recorded.

Beacon aviation services platform

The Beacon business platform from EmbraerX connects and synchronizes industry resources, the aftermarket supply chain, and aviation services professionals in a more agile and efficient way to keep aircraft flying.

JetSuiteX, a Dallas, Texas-based air carrier that operates 30-seat Embraer jets from private terminals, is the launch customer.

Beacon is initially focused on providing solutions to unscheduled aircraft maintenance interruptions. In testing since mid-2018, Beacon aims to provide high-value interactions and business opportunities to multiple stakeholders within the service ecosystem.

Through iOS and Android web and mobile applications, EmbraerX connects companies and professionals by triggering a network of accredited providers, fostering real-time collaboration during unplanned maintenance activities, accelerating the return of aircraft to service.

“Beyond its broad capacity to meet the needs of existing aviation systems, Beacon was also designed to account for the future of urban air mobility,” says Antonio Campello, EmbraerX president and CEO.