Budapest, Hungary-based AerinX is developing an augmented reality (AR) solution for the external inspection and maintenance of aircraft and other aerial vehicles to reduce crashes. The company has already started a partnership with one of the largest Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul companies of Central and Eastern Europe to test and refine the system.
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Around 70-80 percent of aircraft disasters occur due to human lapses or mistakes, according to international aviation industry statistics. While a significant portion of such cases involve errors committed by either pilot or flight crew, a remarkable number of lapses occur during checking and maintenance of aircraft.
The AR-based system developed by AerinX assists with external surface checks and the conduct of related maintenance of aircraft. The system is expected to make the process simpler, faster and more precise, said a press release.
“The aircraft industry, commercial and military aviation are highly technology-intensive branches of the industry, so it can be shocking, even for laymen, how backward in some aspects the segment’s digitalization is,” says Antal Bence Kiss, CEO of AerinX. “This is also true for the surface inspection and maintenance of aircraft. Our smart inspection system combines AR technology with modern picture processing, giving a decision-supporting tool in the hands of professionals.”
The system allows engineers conducting maintenance to determine the size and exact location of damage. AerinX is able to project all relevant technical information about a given aircraft type in 3D on the surface of the plane, including plate thickness at the given point and damage history, which will allow inspections to be considerably faster and more accurate, decreasing the chance of human mistakes, and resulting in fewer accidents.
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Helping to Reduce Flight Delays
The system might also come in handy during so-called “aircraft on ground” (AOG) situations, when planes have to be immediately inspected due to damage or other incident. Currently, an average external inspection may take up to 90 minutes, or even two hours with the current methods. AerinX claims to be able to reduce this time to 20 minutes, which may result in tens of thousands of dollars in saved costs, while also resulting in reduced delays.
The AerinX system is currently in its prototype phase, with the firm getting venture capital investment support for further development and market introduction in both civil and defense aviation segments.
