2021 has been a fruitful year in terms of aviation-related research and development, for both the commercial and more high tech domains. Here is Eways Aviation’s celebration of the highlights in advancements made over the past year.
Drone usage is rapidly expanding beyond surveillance, photography and leisure pursuits. In this past year a Kenya Airways subsidiary - Fahari Aviation - teamed up with UK-based Advanced Air mobility (AAM) company Skyports to pioneer the use of drone-assisted services in Kenya. Drones will be applied to various fields in the country, most notably cargo transportation but are soon expected to be seen in such endeavours as high-tech surveillance and aerial mapping, industrial inspections, emergency and rescue services and other domains.
In addition, Electric Vertical Take-Off (eVTOLs) are also being planned for urban integration in Kenya by another subsidiary of the country’s flag carrier - Eve Urban Air Mobility (Eve for short). Teaming up with Embraer to test air taxi technology in the Kenyan airspace, the main goal is to provide cleaner city transport in Nairobi whilst also eliminating the congestion experienced by passengers arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
In one of the greatest milestones relating to on-board connectivity and WiFi services, Intelsat and Airbus joined forces in early 2021 to bring advanced satellite technology to commercial aviation. Furthermore Intelsat is also working to bring full 5G services to airline passengers mid-flight.
Amongst its achievements over the year, Intelsat has received various awards such as the Best In-Flight Wi-Fi Service by Global Traveler Magazine along with being coined Best Satellite Operator in the Telecom Review Excellence Awards.
Equipped with the new Airbus satellites the firm will be able to improve the quality of its existing connectivity strength available to passengers whilst efficiently distributing internet capacity between aircraft.
This year Rolls Royce’s sportive all electric turboprop plane broke the world record for fastest electric airplane, overtaking the Siemens eAircraft powered Extra 330 LE Aerobatic model that had held the title since 2017. The vintage-inspired design has been reported to achieve speeds of 623km/h during test runs. Moreover the aircraft’s fully electric capability is bringing the aviation industry a step closer to zero emission status.
In the world of commercial aviation, economy passengers will be particularly pleased with the advances made in improving comfort in the coach cabin. Noting its first release, the UK firm Universal Movement (UM) has combined its efforts with Safran to release their revolutionary seat design aptly titled the Interspace.
Providing passengers a headrest for comfortable sleep along with added seclusion from neighbors, the seat design is set to feature in premium economy cabins around the globe. In addition, the firm is also procuring the Interspace Lite version of the seat that will be enjoyed by standard economy travelers - who will enjoy the heightened privacy provided by the new design over traditional economy seats.
The French conglomerate Total Energies took particular interest in materializing green fuel for the aviation industry in 2021. Produced from waste cooking oil and animal fats (with no impact on agricultural food production), the firm has been supplying several French airports with its alternative fuels as of 2021.
Total Energies has also been a key player in the Vol Avec Carburants Alternatifs Nouveaux (VOLCAN) Project. Collaborating with aviation giants that include Airbus, Safran and Dassault, the project is set to test the use of 100% sustainable jet fuel in an A320neo with the intention to soon supply it for mainstream commercial aviation use. The teams have also been working with German non-profit organization ADAC Luftrettung to utilize sustainable fuel in helicopters.
Such developments are a positive round off to a year that still challenged the aviation industry with the ongoing covid-19 pandemic. These advancements guarantee that when the world is back on its feet, passengers can fly far more comfortably whilst leaving a significantly lowered carbon footprint.
With over 25 airlines, from charters and transporters to commercial flyers, the Phillipines possesses one of the most prolific airline networks in Asia
From a country that houses over 80 active airports here is an in-depth look at the top three aviation facilities spread throughout the Philippines islands
