Emirates and Boeing have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in order to leverage advanced digital technologies and accelerate improvements in maintenance operations.
According to the statement, the efforts will focus on key areas including drone-assisted aircraft inspections, sharpening the precision and effectiveness of maintenance tasks through the use of virtual and augmented reality, in addition to next-generation prognostic and predictive maintenance.
Mr. Ahmed Safa, Divisional Senior Vice President Emirates Engineering said that, “Our partnership with Boeing will enable us to maximize the benefits of advanced technologies and digital excellence to improve operational reliability, minimize disruptions, and ensure our fleet operates at the highest standards, ultimately providing our customers a better travel experience.”
Mr. Safa further noted that, “Whether its drones conducting inspections with meticulous agility or AR visualizations that help engineers see behind panels or inside ducts to locate potentially defective components not visible to the naked eye, without having to dismantle them, we’re taking significant steps to optimize aircraft maintenance to its full potential on our fleet of Boeing 777s.”
The integration of drone technology for maintenance tasks represents a leap forward for the airline, helping speed up exterior inspections on wide-body aircraft utilizing ultra-high-resolution cameras with the capability to reach every angle of the aircraft to detect surface imperfections. The imagery and data collected becomes the basis of highly detailed reports, allowing far greater precision and helping with audits of future inspections.
Mr. Brad Surak, Vice President of Digital Aviation Solutions at Boeing Global Services, stated that, “Supporting our customers on their digital transformation journey is about more than just enhancing maintenance operations. It’s about applying innovation to ensure their needs for optimum operations are met today and long term.”
