‘Aviation is the branch of engineering that is least forgiving of mistakes’—Freeman Dyson, theoretical physicist and mathematician.
The statement rings true, as the aviation industry has no room for errors. All aspects must be perfectly aligned to ensure 100% precision and safety. Any compromise, or even the tiniest defect, can result in disasters. This is not just for flight plans; sharp precision flows into the day-to-day operations of the entire aviation industry. This is where AI enters the scene and can change the game.
Integrating AI in aviation industry has brought about some significant technological changes. No wonder the industry that suffered a severe blow due to the pandemic is bouncing back, armed with the power of AI. It is disrupting several areas in aviation with its game-changing capabilities, from flight planning, flight maintenance, and flight coordination checklists to customer service. Clearly reflected in the global market size of AI in aviation, the sector is snowballing at an impressive CAGR of 46.97%. As artificial intelligence services gain traction in the aviation sector, the impact goes beyond their current operations. In this blog, let us will explore the potential use cases of AI in aviation industry.
Major use cases of AI in the Aviation industry
Let us explore the major use cases of AI in aviation industry.
Flight safety monitoring and maintenance
Predictive analytics can play a key role in the aviation industry to avert flight delays and cancellations, and thereby bringing down substantial costs incurred. Health monitoring sensors and IoTs (accessible through mobile devices and desktops) can provide real-time data. Harnessing this data, predictive AI can seamlessly detect the technical defects of the aircraft and instantly alert via notifications. As a result, employees can address the issues efficiently by replacing parts promptly. They can also receive updates on machine operations through dynamic dashboards.
Similarly, predictive analytics can reduce expenses related to part replacements, transportation, crew compensation for overtime, and unplanned maintenance. By integrating artificial intelligence, including computer vision and automated drones, to detect flight defects, enterprises can optimize inspection efficiency. This leads to a comprehensive approach to ensuring flight safety and streamlining maintenance processes.
Air traffic management
There are various unprecedented challenges that pop up and hit the current air traffic management system. This is mainly due to the surge in air traffic. AI can transform the ATM system and open new possibilities in this arena. By automating various airspace management aspects, AI streamlines flight planning optimizes routes, detects conflicts, resolves them, and balances the demand and capacity of flights. Moreover, AI can harness data from multiple sources and offer practical data-driven solutions for airspace users and service providers. As a result, it reduces operating costs and enhances the overall airline efficiency.
AI can also improve coordination for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations by allowing secure communication between airspace users.
Flight efficiency and sustainability
With the airline industry responsible for nearly 2% of CO2 emissions globally, it is harnessing cutting-edge AI to enhance its fuel efficiency. AI-powered systems can analyze real-time data of flight routes, distances, altitudes, and aircraft attributes – weight, type and capacity, weather conditions, and more. By harnessing the ML algorithms, airlines can streamline aircraft performance, flight paths, and operations and make aircraft fuel efficient. AI-driven predictive maintenance systems can also mitigate potential issues by detecting them pre-emptively. With lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions, airlines can proactively move towards sustainability objectives while ensuring safe flight operations.
Fraud detection and prevention in aviation
A recent study showcases that the aviation industry is subject to frequent frauds in its online transactions. According to the study, there has been a 46% fraudulent online transactions with annual losses of 1 billion dollars in USA alone. AI-based fraud detection systems can analyze transaction data in real-time and swiftly catch fraud activities. Analyzing huge volumes of transaction data had been challenging, but with AI, analyzing large datasets is feasible. As a result, airlines can easily catch fraud payment attempts and prevent them. .
Handling and tracking of baggage
The aviation industry deals with millions of people traversing across airports, and baggage handling and tracking can become quite a work. AI is reshaping this scenario when it comes to handling and tracking. Through data-driven digital automation, AI tracks and reconciles baggage using computer vision and photo identification, improving forecasting and resource optimization. Moreover, AI image recognition enables a seamless and connected journey, portraying a future where bag tags can be smoothly matched to passengers using data. This action increases passenger autonomy, reduces needless paper waste, and promotes sustainability.
Estimating in-flight sales and food supply
Airlines can leverage data and forecast inflight customer demands accurately, resulting in optimized inventory management and waste reduction. Data from similar routes can help create food needs for new routes and cut down on shortages and wastages. Furthermore, real-time data from inflight entertainment systems allow airlines to tailor the food/beverage/entertainment offerings based on passenger choices. Incorporating data analytics in inflight operational efficiency can boost the customer experience and give a competitive edge in this highly competitive industry.
Aircraft design and performance
Artificial intelligence can be a game changer in aircraft design and performance by improving the accuracy of turbulent airflow simulations. AI-driven computer simulations can automate several aspects of airspace management, such as flight planning, route optimization, and conflict resolution. These simulations, powered by varied data sources, optimize the solutions, reducing costs and enhancing decision-making. For instance, AI-powered wall models can focus on turbulent flow near boundaries and offer accurate and effective simulations. Machine learning allows the simulation to adapt to different flow configurations that lead to time and resource savings during aircraft design and performance analysis.
Delighting customer travel experience
In the fiercely competitive aviation industry, winning customer loyalty can make a brand thrive. Airlines actively try to provide their customers with an enjoyable and rewarding journey with tailored customer experiences. Interactive in-flight entertainment, social competitions, and gamification features engage customers during travel and provide them with a memorable experience. AI-based recommendation engines can craft highly personalized offers for their customers based on purchase history, behavior tracking, and more.
Moreover, AI-powered customer service automation, such as a chatbot or conversational IVR, can answer queries, converse, and even book flights. Similarly, facial recognition and biometrics streamline the complex airport security processes and facilitate seamless travel.
Conclusion
AI in aviation industry is a game changer as it is revolutionizing operations, making them more efficient, and boosting customer experiences while enhancing safety. It can unlock new possibilities for growth and optimization. Some leading global airlines are already harnessing AI to enhance efficiency, cut down on costly errors, and boost customer satisfaction. AI and ML algorithms are changing the game from air traffic management to operational management, aircraft designing to customer service and retention. Generative AI is also another disruptive technology that aviation companies can harness.
The benefits of using AI in the aviation industry is abounding. Having the right technology partner to implement AI makes the base for seamless integration of AI. At Saxon AI, this is our forte. With more than two decades of experience executing transformative solutions for businesses, Saxon AI is the apt tech partner for your aviation needs. Whether you want to enhance your customer experience or leverage advanced analytics for your business, our proven expertise in AI can skyrocket your business.
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