Airbus has commenced in-flight trials of connected cabin technologies, using IOT (Internet of Things) technology onboard an A350-900 Flight Lab aircraft.
The platform will usher in a new personalised experience for passengers and provide opportunities for improving airlines’ ancillary revenues and operational efficiencies.
The Flight Lab, revealed shortly, is one of the original A350-900 certification flight-test aircraft – MSN002 – and is fitted with an Airspace cabin which now serves as the ideal platform to evaluate the new connected cabin technologies in flight.
The connected cabin ecosystem will enable significant value-adding services for passengers, airlines and crews. Possible examples include passengers receiving a more personalised travel experience, airlines will be able to generate additional ancillary revenues through personalised retail and advertisement as well as new services, all enabled by the IoT approach. Furthermore, airlines will be able to improve their operational efficiency applying predictive maintenance, avoiding waste and making crew services more efficient.
The subsequent testing of these innovations in an Airbus Flight Lab environment is key to bringing an integrated connected experience to fruition – being able to validate and refine them in a real airborne cabin. In particular, the tests allow the various elements to be operated and monitored during a normal flight cycle, especially with regard to the end-to-end data flow robustness within the systems and between them.