Consultant’s Insight: Delta will use drones to inspect aircraft

Drone use is expanding beyond deliveries and into warehouses, distribution center yards and now airplane inspections. [caption id="attachment_57145807" align="alignright" width="181"] Cathy Roberson, Cargo Facts Consulting senior consultant and Cargo Facts columnist[/caption] The FAA accepted Delta Air Lines’ application earlier this year to use camera-based drones to conduct visual inspections of its aircraft in operation. The carrier is the first U.S. commercial operator to receive FAA Certificate Management Office approval for this use. The drone technology will help technicians and inspectors make decisions on aircraft conditions up to 82% faster, Delta said in a statement. Using drone technology will allow Delta to return its aircraft to service more quickly, reducing delays and cancellations, Delta said. Drone inspection in Europe, South America Indeed, several European airlines embraced drone inspections early on. For example, easyJet has been testing drone inspections since 2015 in collaboration with Blue Bear Systems Research. Their trials have shown that a drone can complete an aircraft exterior inspection in about two hours, compared with the two working days typically required for a manual inspection. This can significantly reduce aircraft downtime. British Airways has also embraced drone technology for aircraft inspections. In one trial, British Airways used drones to inspect a 787 Dreamliner . The inspection, which typically takes more than twelve hours, was completed in just two hours. Additionally, Ryanair reported that the implementation of drone inspections has reduced its aircraft turnaround times for routine maintenance checks by up to 30%. This improvement has allowed the carrier to schedule more flights and increase overall fleet efficiency. LATAM Group began testing the use of drones in the exterior inspection of aircraft fuselages in 2022. This reduced inspection time from eight hours to forty minutes, according to preliminary results. The carrier said the tests consist of the drone automatically flying around the aircraft and taking up to 2,000 detailed photos of the entire fuselage. The carrier then uses AI to identify potential damage and areas needing repair. MRO costs increase Analysis from consulting firm McKinsey suggests aircraft retirement rates will be 24% lower from 2024 through 2026 compared with the pre-pandemic years of 2010 through 2019. These longer-lived aircraft will likely require costly engines and airframe maintenance that carriers may not have budgeted for in a more balanced supply-demand environment. As such, McKinsey expects maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services to grow from 2024 through 2034 to be valued at about $135 billion in constant 2024 dollars. The MRO market was worth about $82.2 billion in 2023, according to data platform Statista. To mitigate costs, the use of drones in maintenance reviews will likely be embraced further as airlines seek ways to maintain costs. The 30th Cargo Facts Symposium will take place Oct. 14-16 at the Omni Hotel in San Diego. Gain valuable insights, success strategies and networking opportunities at this special anniversary event. Learn more and <a style="color: #0000ff;" href="https://cargofactsevents.com/product/cargo-facts-symposium-registration/?utm_campaign=CFS%202024&utm_source=Editorial%20-%20Footer&utm_medium=Editorial%20-%20Footer&utm_term=Editorial%20-%20Footer&utm_content=Editorial%20-%20Footer&__hstc=75154765.904b71bee21c99d4eb26c4f563837fe7.1722015266031.1728486213092.1728494144784.46&__hssc=75154765.6.1728494144784&__hsfp=1896627464" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> register today .

Consultant’s Insight: Delta will use drones to inspect aircraft

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