miércoles, 7 de febrero de 2018
Bombardier Foresees 2,050 new aircraft for Asia-Pacific by 2036
February 6, 2018 Singapore Commercial Aircraft, Press Release
Bombardier Commercial Aircraft’s 2017-2036 Market Forecast, covering the 60- to 150-seat segment, shows that the Asia-Pacific region, which Bombardier defines as Asia without Greater China, is forecasted to undergo impressive growth over the next 20 years.
This region is expected to take delivery of 2,050 aircraft, or 16 per cent of a worldwide market for 12,550 aircraft valued at $820 billion U.S. Asia-Pacific deliveries should consist of 1,050 large regional aircraft (50 to 100 seats) and 1,000 small single-aisle aircraft (100 to 150 seat).
“Asia-Pacific region is the home of the fastest growing economies. Strong GDP growth and a booming middle class should drive passenger traffic numbers to triple in the next 20 years,” said Francois Cognard, Vice President, Sales, Asia-Pacific, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft. “Bombardier aims to build upon its strong foundation in Asia-Pacific. Due to the demand for more frequencies and more city pairs to increase connectivity between smaller communities, there is a great opportunity to continue to support the expected growth with high-performing regional and small single-aisle aircraft.”
The drive for domestic and regional connectivity means that the fastest traffic growth in the region would be seen from small and medium sized cities with challenging airports. This is creating an increased number of point-to-point routes where the traffic is insufficient to allow economical operation of a larger single aisle aircraft. Thus, the increasing demand for high-performing regional and small single-aisle aircraft.
In the region, over 60% of all routes flown today have demand for less than 150 passengers per day. The forecast says that by 2036, intra-regional traffic will account for 80 per cent of all Asia-Pacific demand, with the majority of passengers taking short haul flights of under 500 nautical miles (925 km).
Bombardier Footprint in Asia-Pacific
Over 40 operators are flying or will soon be flying a total of 330 Bombardier regional and small single-aisle aircraft in the region and 27 of these operators fly more than 260 Q Series turboprops. Bombardier’s Q400 aircraft is the only turboprop that can seat up to 90 passengers. SpiceJet is the launch customer for the 90-seat configuration, having placed an order for up to 50 of this type to support regional connectivity in India. Nok Air and Philippine Airlines also operate the Q400 in a high-density 86-seat configuration.
There are 50 CRJ Series aircraft already flying in Asia-Pacific with 13 operators, such as IBEX Airlines of Japan. Recently, many start-up airlines in Asia-Pacific have selected the CRJ200 as the right aircraft to commence operations with. These include Zoom Air of India, Shree Airlines & Saurya Airlines of Nepal, and Air Pohang of Korea. Globally, 68% of all CRJ200 operators have gone on to operate larger CRJ700/900/1000 aircraft.
Bombardier developed its all new C Series aircraft, to fill an emerging 100- to 150-segment between large regional jets and large single-aisle aircraft. The launch customer for the C Series in Asia was Korean Air, who ordered 10 CS300 with 10 options. Korean Air have taken delivery of two CS300 aircraft to date, and had their first revenue flight from Seoul to Ulsan on January 20, 2018.
Embraer Projects Demand of 3,010 New Deliveries in the Segment Up to 150-seats in Asia Pacific
PR
Singapore, February 7, 2018 – Embraer Commercial Aviation released today, at the Singapore Airshow, its market forecast for the Asia Pacific region. The Company estimates airlines will take delivery of 3,010 new aircraft in the segment up to 150-seats over the next 20 years, representing 29% of the worldwide demand for the segment, in the period. The total demand for the segment is for 10,550 new aircraft over the next 20 years.
Asia Pacific has experienced rapid social and economic development in recent decades. The region’s above-average economic expansion, with a projected annual GDP growth rate of 3.9% for the next 20 years, combined with increasing urbanization and shifting demographic patterns, will result in higher household incomes and increased discretionary spending, including air travel. “The ongoing over-capacity and intense competition in the region has prevented airlines from delivering higher profits. In this regard, the E-Jets E2 can help airlines to open new markets at the lowest possible risk, complement larger fleet types to maximize profit, and achieve sustainable growth with higher profitability,” said César Pereira, Vice-President for Asia-Pacific, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We continue to identify to airlines opportunities in markets that are currently underserved or not served at all. With the E2’s, we can offer great operational flexibility, broaden the network reach to 2nd and 3rd tier cities, adding frequency to build competitive advantage and access to more airports without any limitations,” explains Pereira.
The Chinese start-up airlines will grow from small and mid-sized cities with subsidies to propel the development of the regional aviation. The region needs a shift in focus from competing to creating new market space and seeking out untapped opportunities. One great opportunity in the region for the E-Jets is the aging incumbent fleet, where there are more than 250 jets in the 50 to 150-seat category over 10 years of age, which will become targets for replacement in the near future.
Singapore, February 7, 2018 – Embraer Commercial Aviation released today, at the Singapore Airshow, its market forecast for the Asia Pacific region. The Company estimates airlines will take delivery of 3,010 new aircraft in the segment up to 150-seats over the next 20 years, representing 29% of the worldwide demand for the segment, in the period. The total demand for the segment is for 10,550 new aircraft over the next 20 years.
Asia Pacific has experienced rapid social and economic development in recent decades. The region’s above-average economic expansion, with a projected annual GDP growth rate of 3.9% for the next 20 years, combined with increasing urbanization and shifting demographic patterns, will result in higher household incomes and increased discretionary spending, including air travel. “The ongoing over-capacity and intense competition in the region has prevented airlines from delivering higher profits. In this regard, the E-Jets E2 can help airlines to open new markets at the lowest possible risk, complement larger fleet types to maximize profit, and achieve sustainable growth with higher profitability,” said César Pereira, Vice-President for Asia-Pacific, Embraer Commercial Aviation. “We continue to identify to airlines opportunities in markets that are currently underserved or not served at all. With the E2’s, we can offer great operational flexibility, broaden the network reach to 2nd and 3rd tier cities, adding frequency to build competitive advantage and access to more airports without any limitations,” explains Pereira.
The Chinese start-up airlines will grow from small and mid-sized cities with subsidies to propel the development of the regional aviation. The region needs a shift in focus from competing to creating new market space and seeking out untapped opportunities. One great opportunity in the region for the E-Jets is the aging incumbent fleet, where there are more than 250 jets in the 50 to 150-seat category over 10 years of age, which will become targets for replacement in the near future.
Boeing Announces Nearly $1 Billion in Services Orders at Singapore Airshow
PR
SINGAPORE, Feb. 6, 2018 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced services orders valued at more than $900 million that will enable carriers and partners to excel in today’s competitive airline environment.
“Boeing is serious about helping customers optimize the performance of their fleets and reduce operational costs throughout the lifecycle,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Global Services. “Predicted growth for aerospace services in the Asia Pacific brings opportunities to partner with local industry to understand the region’s greatest needs, invest in new capabilities to meet those needs, and then bring them to market quickly.”
Today’s agreements stretch across Global Services’ four capability areas, including parts; engineering, modifications and maintenance; digital aviation and analytics; and training and professional services.
Regional agreements announced today include in part:
Boeing Global Services, headquartered in the Dallas area, was formed by integrating the services capabilities of the government, space and commercial sectors into a single, customer-focused business. Operating as a third business unit of Boeing, Global Services provides agile, cost-competitive services to commercial and government customers worldwide.
- Orders demonstrate strong Asia Pacific interest in Boeing services
- Orders stretch across each portfolio representing parts, modifications, training and Boeing AnalytX
SINGAPORE, Feb. 6, 2018 – Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced services orders valued at more than $900 million that will enable carriers and partners to excel in today’s competitive airline environment.
“Boeing is serious about helping customers optimize the performance of their fleets and reduce operational costs throughout the lifecycle,” said Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Global Services. “Predicted growth for aerospace services in the Asia Pacific brings opportunities to partner with local industry to understand the region’s greatest needs, invest in new capabilities to meet those needs, and then bring them to market quickly.”
Today’s agreements stretch across Global Services’ four capability areas, including parts; engineering, modifications and maintenance; digital aviation and analytics; and training and professional services.
Regional agreements announced today include in part:
-
All Nippon Airways signed a contract for 36 landing gear exchanges for the 787.
-
China Southern Airlines and Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Company Limited (GAMECO) signed
an agreement to develop service capabilities for the Boeing Global
Fleet Care portfolio, as well as enhanced component and composite repair
capabilities.
-
Malaysia Airlines signed an agreement for 48
landing gear exchanges for the Next-Generation 737. Through the program,
operators receive an overhauled and certified landing gear from an
exchange pool maintained by Boeing, with stocked components and
supporting parts shipping within 24 hours.
-
Nippon Cargo Airlines signed a five-year agreement
to renew Jeppesen charting and electronic flight bag services to
optimize navigation and flight operations across their 747 fleet.
-
Royal Brunei Airlines signed an agreement for five
787-8 overhead flight crew rest retrofits. The modifications, to be
completed at Boeing Shanghai, will allow the carrier to fly the 787-8
airplanes on long-haul routes, providing increased operations
flexibility to the fleet and operator.
-
SilkAir signed an agreement to receive fleet
material services for 54 of its 737 MAX and Next-Generation aircraft.
Fleet material services include Component Services Program, Integrated
Material Management and Customer Furnished Parts, providing the customer
with a centralized supplier of parts.
-
Singapore Airlines signed a contract to use
Electronic Logbook on its 777 and 787 fleet. As a Boeing electronic
flight bag app, the Electronic Logbook replaces paper logbooks with
digital records that improve operational efficiency and reliability,
reducing schedule interruptions.
-
Singapore’s Defense Science and Technology Agency signed an agreement to engage in collaborative research and experimentation activities, powered by Boeing AnalytX.
-
Alaska Airlines signed an agreement to renew Jeppesen Flight Planning for its 737 fleet.
-
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has expanded its use of
Boeing’s Component Services Program by adding the service to support
induction of new 787 aircraft that will enter its fleet in August this
year, in addition to expanding and extending current component service
coverage of its existing 737 and 777 fleets. With this service
extension, Biman is on CSP support for all three of its airplane models.
-
DHL has ordered one 767-300ER Boeing converted
freighter. Boeing converted freighters carry high-density cargo on
long-range routes, as well as e-commerce cargo on domestic and regional
routes.
-
Honeywell Aerospace signed a contract extending
Aviall’s product support agreement as the exclusive distributor for
Honeywell Aerospace through 2022, covering interior and exterior
lighting equipment for all commercial aftermarket product sales.
Products covered include indicators, annunciators and other components
used on commercial aircraft.
-
Lufthansa Group signed an agreement for 25 landing
gear exchange and overhauls across its 777-200F and 777-300ER fleets for
AeroLogic, Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss International Airlines. The
service eliminates the need for operators to contract, schedule and
manage the overhaul process.
-
Parker Aerospace’s Aircraft Wheel & Brake
Division signed a five-year master distributor agreement with Aviall for
its Cleveland Wheels & Brakes product line. Aviall will forecast,
warehouse and market through its network, including Parker AWB’s former
network of direct distributors.
-
Tianjin Air Capital signed a contract with AerData
for Secure Technical Records for Electronic Asset Management, a tool
that transforms operations by replacing paper documents with digital
ones, for a fleet of more than 50 aircraft.
-
Tunisair signed a contract to integrate Jeppesen
Aviator services on iPad into its flight operations, reducing pilot time
spent on data entry and accessing individual apps.
Boeing Global Services, headquartered in the Dallas area, was formed by integrating the services capabilities of the government, space and commercial sectors into a single, customer-focused business. Operating as a third business unit of Boeing, Global Services provides agile, cost-competitive services to commercial and government customers worldwide.
China Completes Demonstrator For Narrowbody Engine
Probably no one close to China’s commercial turbofan program ever believed the engine could enter service in 2020. And probably no one who understands the enormous challenges facing Aero Engine Corp. of China (AECC) is surprised that development of the engine, the CJ-1000, is already running about three years behind a schedule… continue reading in: http://aviationweek.com/aviation-week-space-technology/china-completes-demonstrator-narrowbody-engine
Falcon Heavy Flies!
SpaceX reached a significant milestone this afternoon with the successful launch of Falcon Heavy carrying Elon Musk's red Tesla Roadster as its "mass simulator".
http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?do=main.textpost&id=5d4813ac-3126-461c-a015-76fef307f7e6
SpaceX Discovers Floating Booster After Satellite Launch
Had Anticipated That The Falcon 9 Core Would Break Up On Landing In The Water
Airbus Helicopters and Thai Aviation Industries to support Royal Thai Armed Forces and Police helicopters
PR
New partnership strengthens Airbus Helicopters’ commitment to Thailand’s military and law enforcement helicopter operations.
Singapore, Airbus Helicopters and Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) have signed an agreement to support all Airbus' military and law enforcement helicopters in Thailand, over two years.
Under this agreement, TAI will become the main Airbus Helicopters’ service provider in Thailand for the Royal Thai Armed Forces and Royal Thai Police. Airbus Helicopters’ signature HCare suite of aftersales services, spare parts, tools and training will now be easily availed to the locally-based military and law enforcement operators through TAI.
The Royal Thai Armed Forces and Royal Thai Police currently operate a strong fleet of about 40 helicopters, which includes the light single engine H125M, twin engine H145, H145M, UH72, medium twin engine AS365, H155, H175 and heavy tactical H225M. These helicopters are deployed for various missions within the Royal Thai Air Force, Army, Navy, Police and the Survey Department.
Air Chief Marshal Nitat Sirimas from Thai Aviation Industries said, “This new partnership will reinforce our position as a world class aviation service provider here at home, while globalising our operations to provide quality service of international standards. We are looking forward to opening a new chapter with Airbus Helicopters, bringing Thailand’s technical competency in helicopter maintenance to greater heights.”
“We are very happy to collaborate with TAI to bolster our support for the military and law enforcement operators in Thailand. TAI is a dependable partner and is the most suitable focal point between Airbus, the Royal Thai Armed Forces and Royal Thai Police,” said Philippe Monteux, Head of Southeast Asia and Pacific of Airbus Helicopters. “Through this new milestone agreement, Airbus’ impressive range of helicopter services will now be available in-country, as we stay committed to developing a strong ecosystem for our customers.”
Spanning material management, helicopter maintenance and upgrades, technical support, training and flight operations, as well as connected services, Airbus Helicopters’ highly flexible HCare range of customer support solutions helps enhance operators’ helicopters availability and optimise their maintenance scheduling.
***
About TAI
Thai Aviation Industries Co., Ltd. (TAI) is a Thai-owned MRO company established in 2013 with a servicing platform on aircraft maintenance and logistics support, focusing on government sector. With five maintenance stations separately located around central parts of Thailand, TAI can support aircraft maintenance of various aircraft sizes ranging from trainer aircraft, to fighter aircraft and transport aircraft. TAI is one of the leading helicopter maintenance centres in Thailand that offers organisational-level to depot-level maintenance services.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016, it generated revenues of €67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats and business aviation products. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, and is one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
New partnership strengthens Airbus Helicopters’ commitment to Thailand’s military and law enforcement helicopter operations.
Singapore, Airbus Helicopters and Thai Aviation Industries (TAI) have signed an agreement to support all Airbus' military and law enforcement helicopters in Thailand, over two years.
Under this agreement, TAI will become the main Airbus Helicopters’ service provider in Thailand for the Royal Thai Armed Forces and Royal Thai Police. Airbus Helicopters’ signature HCare suite of aftersales services, spare parts, tools and training will now be easily availed to the locally-based military and law enforcement operators through TAI.
The Royal Thai Armed Forces and Royal Thai Police currently operate a strong fleet of about 40 helicopters, which includes the light single engine H125M, twin engine H145, H145M, UH72, medium twin engine AS365, H155, H175 and heavy tactical H225M. These helicopters are deployed for various missions within the Royal Thai Air Force, Army, Navy, Police and the Survey Department.
Air Chief Marshal Nitat Sirimas from Thai Aviation Industries said, “This new partnership will reinforce our position as a world class aviation service provider here at home, while globalising our operations to provide quality service of international standards. We are looking forward to opening a new chapter with Airbus Helicopters, bringing Thailand’s technical competency in helicopter maintenance to greater heights.”
“We are very happy to collaborate with TAI to bolster our support for the military and law enforcement operators in Thailand. TAI is a dependable partner and is the most suitable focal point between Airbus, the Royal Thai Armed Forces and Royal Thai Police,” said Philippe Monteux, Head of Southeast Asia and Pacific of Airbus Helicopters. “Through this new milestone agreement, Airbus’ impressive range of helicopter services will now be available in-country, as we stay committed to developing a strong ecosystem for our customers.”
Spanning material management, helicopter maintenance and upgrades, technical support, training and flight operations, as well as connected services, Airbus Helicopters’ highly flexible HCare range of customer support solutions helps enhance operators’ helicopters availability and optimise their maintenance scheduling.
***
About TAI
Thai Aviation Industries Co., Ltd. (TAI) is a Thai-owned MRO company established in 2013 with a servicing platform on aircraft maintenance and logistics support, focusing on government sector. With five maintenance stations separately located around central parts of Thailand, TAI can support aircraft maintenance of various aircraft sizes ranging from trainer aircraft, to fighter aircraft and transport aircraft. TAI is one of the leading helicopter maintenance centres in Thailand that offers organisational-level to depot-level maintenance services.
About Airbus
Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2016, it generated revenues of €67 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners from 100 to more than 600 seats and business aviation products. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, and is one of the world’s leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.
Shaping the future of drone delivery. Airbus opens commercial drone services in Asia-Pacific
http://www.airbus.com/newsroom/news/en/2018/02/shaping-the-future-of-drone-delivery.html
Skyways drone project in the spotlight at the 2018 Singapore Airshow
In partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Airbus is on track to test an automated package delivery system using unmanned drones in the first half of 2018.
Dubbed Skyways, the project signed up SingPost in April 2017 as its logistics partner to trial small parcel delivery via autonomous drones to designated stations on the campus of the National University of Singapore (NUS). Incoming packages are first loaded automatically onto the drone via a robotic arm at designated parcel stations. Drones launch and fly autonomously, delivering the package to delivery stations on the campus, where it is then stored in lockers for campus dwellers to retrieve it.
The drones will fly along aerial corridors to avoid collision while the central ground operations centre continuously monitors flight operations and unmanned air traffic.
There’s nothing toy-like about these drones: they are sophisticated, high-end aeronautical products that draw upon the technical and engineering expertise of both Airbus Helicopters in terms of air vehicles and Airbus Defence and Space in terms of batteries and command centre capabilities, among others.
The systems architecture, first developed and validated in France, was finalized and then designed and built in Singapore. “We will have five or six drones flying in the initial trial phase this year and we expect it to run several months to be able to collect relevant data and insights,” explains design office head at Airbus Helicopters and Skyways project lead Leo Jeoh.
When asked why the project is based in Singapore, Jeoh, a former Singapore Air Force flight test engineer, replies: “While the country already has efficient delivery services, the real reason is that Singapore is a fantastic test bed for new technologies and business models. The combined support of the CAAS and an innovation-friendly government creates an ideal environment to perfect the system and roll it out faster than in other locations.”
Singapore as well as many of Asia’s megacities, such as Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila, suffers from traffic congestion, a growing urban trend with no lull in sight. In the future, an airborne package delivery system could save lives by ditching the roads to airlift medical supplies across town or even help build businesses by making it easier to get products to customers without the need for shops or delivery trucks.
If successful, the Skyways team intends to extend the scope of initial test phase to deliver packages to ships anchored in the Port of Singapore. Later iterations could include delivering higher-value goods or medical supplies to disaster-hit regions, where roads may be impassable.
“Tech development is far from being the only hurdle to overcome to rollout full-fledged drone delivery in cities,” states Jeoh. Drones will eventually need to share airspace with passenger aircraft and rotorcraft, military vehicles and other aircraft, and this will require a sophisticated traffic management system to avoid collisions.
“We see Skyways as an important stepping stone in paving the way for air mobility in urban settings. It’s an awesome opportunity for Airbus to run a first live autonomous and electric urban air mobility exploration. We are essentially opening up Pandora’s box to determine what it will take for unmanned vehicles to fly safely in cities. All regulatory issues must be properly addressed before we will see either drones or larger passenger electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) such as CityAirbus flying above our heads.”
Gaining trust from regulators and end users is paramount in the quest to make urban air mobility a reality. “I am convinced that Airbus will be pivotal in the shift from ground to air transportation in urban spaces,” says Jeoh. “Through our strong relationship with CAAS, the NUS and SingPost, we will be able to run a meaningful trial that allows us to explore and develop regulations, technologies, and operational requirements to safely operate unmanned vehicles in urban environments while gaining valuable insight from campus dwellers on how they feel about the tech flying around.”
http://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2018/02/Airbus-opens-commercial-drone-services-in-Asia-Pacific.html
Launches Airbus Aerial Asia, based in Singapore
Singapore, 7 February 2018 – Airbus has launched the Asia-Pacific operations of its “Airbus Aerial” commercial drone services at the Singapore Airshow 2018. The newly established regional base of Airbus Aerial adds to two existing hubs based in Atlanta, U.S. and Munich, Germany.
“We have chosen Singapore as the headquarters for our Asia-Pacific operations because it is a well-established regional hub with excellent connectivity to key countries such as Australia, India, Japan and China,” said Jana Rosenmann, Head of Unmanned Aerial Systems at Airbus. “It is also a great centre for innovation and potential partnerships, enjoying strong support from the local government for start-ups as well as the development of smart technologies.”
Initially focussing on the development of new imagery services, Airbus Aerial leverages the latest software and aerospace technologies to provide actionable data and analysis of information provided by drones, satellites, high altitude aircraft and other sources. With its imagery services, Airbus Aerial targets a range of applications for industries such as insurance, agriculture, oil and gas and utilities, as well as state and local governments.
During its first year in operation, Airbus Aerial played a critical role in the U.S., helping several major insurance companies assess damage and process claims faster than ever before. These results were achieved by providing before-and-after satellite imagery of affected areas and real-time imagery collected by drones during fly-overs. These images were then blended with proprietary Airbus data analytics to help insurers assess damage and prioritise resources.
These initial services were provided in 2017, following Hurricane Harvey in the Houston, Texas area and Hurricane Irma in southern Florida and, more recently, after the devastating wildfires in California.
The Asia-Pacific base of Airbus Aerial is led by Bernard Leong, who joined Airbus in January 2018. Previously, he was Head of Post Office Network and Digital Services at Singapore Post, with an extensive business and technology management background, including drone delivery and autonomous vehicles within the Asia-Pacific markets.
The first target of the Singapore team will be to explore potential within the Asian regional insurance market and extend Airbus Aerial’s footprint from the U.S. and Europe to the Asia-Pacific region. It will gather information to provide relief and recovery in disaster prone regions with dedicated disaster management support, and also identify local possibilities including agriculture, critical infrastructure monitoring like power lines and railroad, and oil and gas mining where the business model may fit.
Airbus Aerial Asia also aims in the next years to offer cargo drone services with autonomous logistic systems, applying the principle of supporting an open ecosystem while seeking strong partnerships with technology providers and drone operators in the Asian region.
Skyways drone project in the spotlight at the 2018 Singapore Airshow
In partnership with the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Airbus is on track to test an automated package delivery system using unmanned drones in the first half of 2018.
Dubbed Skyways, the project signed up SingPost in April 2017 as its logistics partner to trial small parcel delivery via autonomous drones to designated stations on the campus of the National University of Singapore (NUS). Incoming packages are first loaded automatically onto the drone via a robotic arm at designated parcel stations. Drones launch and fly autonomously, delivering the package to delivery stations on the campus, where it is then stored in lockers for campus dwellers to retrieve it.
The drones will fly along aerial corridors to avoid collision while the central ground operations centre continuously monitors flight operations and unmanned air traffic.
There’s nothing toy-like about these drones: they are sophisticated, high-end aeronautical products that draw upon the technical and engineering expertise of both Airbus Helicopters in terms of air vehicles and Airbus Defence and Space in terms of batteries and command centre capabilities, among others.
The systems architecture, first developed and validated in France, was finalized and then designed and built in Singapore. “We will have five or six drones flying in the initial trial phase this year and we expect it to run several months to be able to collect relevant data and insights,” explains design office head at Airbus Helicopters and Skyways project lead Leo Jeoh.
When asked why the project is based in Singapore, Jeoh, a former Singapore Air Force flight test engineer, replies: “While the country already has efficient delivery services, the real reason is that Singapore is a fantastic test bed for new technologies and business models. The combined support of the CAAS and an innovation-friendly government creates an ideal environment to perfect the system and roll it out faster than in other locations.”
Singapore as well as many of Asia’s megacities, such as Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila, suffers from traffic congestion, a growing urban trend with no lull in sight. In the future, an airborne package delivery system could save lives by ditching the roads to airlift medical supplies across town or even help build businesses by making it easier to get products to customers without the need for shops or delivery trucks.
If successful, the Skyways team intends to extend the scope of initial test phase to deliver packages to ships anchored in the Port of Singapore. Later iterations could include delivering higher-value goods or medical supplies to disaster-hit regions, where roads may be impassable.
“Tech development is far from being the only hurdle to overcome to rollout full-fledged drone delivery in cities,” states Jeoh. Drones will eventually need to share airspace with passenger aircraft and rotorcraft, military vehicles and other aircraft, and this will require a sophisticated traffic management system to avoid collisions.
“We see Skyways as an important stepping stone in paving the way for air mobility in urban settings. It’s an awesome opportunity for Airbus to run a first live autonomous and electric urban air mobility exploration. We are essentially opening up Pandora’s box to determine what it will take for unmanned vehicles to fly safely in cities. All regulatory issues must be properly addressed before we will see either drones or larger passenger electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles (eVTOLs) such as CityAirbus flying above our heads.”
Gaining trust from regulators and end users is paramount in the quest to make urban air mobility a reality. “I am convinced that Airbus will be pivotal in the shift from ground to air transportation in urban spaces,” says Jeoh. “Through our strong relationship with CAAS, the NUS and SingPost, we will be able to run a meaningful trial that allows us to explore and develop regulations, technologies, and operational requirements to safely operate unmanned vehicles in urban environments while gaining valuable insight from campus dwellers on how they feel about the tech flying around.”
http://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2018/02/Airbus-opens-commercial-drone-services-in-Asia-Pacific.html
Launches Airbus Aerial Asia, based in Singapore
- Expands commercial drone business to Asia-Pacific in key sectors Bernard
- Leong appointed Head of Airbus Aerial Asia
Singapore, 7 February 2018 – Airbus has launched the Asia-Pacific operations of its “Airbus Aerial” commercial drone services at the Singapore Airshow 2018. The newly established regional base of Airbus Aerial adds to two existing hubs based in Atlanta, U.S. and Munich, Germany.
“We have chosen Singapore as the headquarters for our Asia-Pacific operations because it is a well-established regional hub with excellent connectivity to key countries such as Australia, India, Japan and China,” said Jana Rosenmann, Head of Unmanned Aerial Systems at Airbus. “It is also a great centre for innovation and potential partnerships, enjoying strong support from the local government for start-ups as well as the development of smart technologies.”
Initially focussing on the development of new imagery services, Airbus Aerial leverages the latest software and aerospace technologies to provide actionable data and analysis of information provided by drones, satellites, high altitude aircraft and other sources. With its imagery services, Airbus Aerial targets a range of applications for industries such as insurance, agriculture, oil and gas and utilities, as well as state and local governments.
During its first year in operation, Airbus Aerial played a critical role in the U.S., helping several major insurance companies assess damage and process claims faster than ever before. These results were achieved by providing before-and-after satellite imagery of affected areas and real-time imagery collected by drones during fly-overs. These images were then blended with proprietary Airbus data analytics to help insurers assess damage and prioritise resources.
These initial services were provided in 2017, following Hurricane Harvey in the Houston, Texas area and Hurricane Irma in southern Florida and, more recently, after the devastating wildfires in California.
The Asia-Pacific base of Airbus Aerial is led by Bernard Leong, who joined Airbus in January 2018. Previously, he was Head of Post Office Network and Digital Services at Singapore Post, with an extensive business and technology management background, including drone delivery and autonomous vehicles within the Asia-Pacific markets.
The first target of the Singapore team will be to explore potential within the Asian regional insurance market and extend Airbus Aerial’s footprint from the U.S. and Europe to the Asia-Pacific region. It will gather information to provide relief and recovery in disaster prone regions with dedicated disaster management support, and also identify local possibilities including agriculture, critical infrastructure monitoring like power lines and railroad, and oil and gas mining where the business model may fit.
Airbus Aerial Asia also aims in the next years to offer cargo drone services with autonomous logistic systems, applying the principle of supporting an open ecosystem while seeking strong partnerships with technology providers and drone operators in the Asian region.