News

 The smart maintenance market in aviation is witnessing a transformative shift as the industry embraces digitalization and automation to enhance efficiency, reliability, and safety. Valued at approximately USD 6.5 billion in 2024, this market is set to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.3%, reaching an estimated USD 12 billion by 2034.   

  A decade after drone use for aircraft inspections first started gaining aftermarket traction, the technology is finally making serious headway with regulators and OEMs.  

 A House committee hearing on uncrewed drones and the steps taken to counter potential risks surrounding them was held by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Thursday. In his opening remarks, chairman Troy Nehls (R-Texas) acknowledged the current social landscape of drone usage.  

 Drones and drone technology are being tested in aircraft MRO operations due to their ability to enhance efficiency, safety and precision. However, the regulatory background to make such solutions implementable at an industry-wide level is not yet fully developed. 

 A small business called Near Earth Autonomy developed a time-saving solution using drones for pre-flight checks of commercial airliners through a NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program and a partnership with The Boeing Company. 

  SINGAPORE — While Boeing’s commercial aircraft business continues to face headwinds, the company’s military wing is harnessing the power of data and autonomy to maintain and analyze military aircraft more effectively to the benefit of the United States and its allies, a company official at the Singapore Airshow said. 

 A groundbreaking drone program has been successfully tested at Dover Air Force Base, offering a safer and more efficient method for inspecting the towering T-tail of a C-5 M Super Galaxy aircraft, which reaches a height of 65 feet. 

Drones have reached the consumer market over the last decade or so, but they’ve actually existed for far longer than this. When most of us hear the term, we think of small drones that hobbyists use to film landscapes or take photos from above.