Paris Air Show
Real-time monitoring
The Internet of Things isn't a new concept for the aviation industry.
Sensors and digital automation have been common features within manufacturing and the operation of machinery for more than a decade.
In recent years the surge of new and powerful technologies has opened commercial possibilities for aerospace and defense companies.
One area evolving rapidly is technology that enables engineers to check on the performance of every mechanical component on board a plane.
In the wake of the last year's spate of aircraft losses, renewed focus has been placed in this area.
However, there's more work to be done before real time health monitoring from the skies becomes commonplace.
I expect to see a plethora of companies working to push us closer toward comprehensive inflight monitoring and direct communication between aircraft sensors and operations on the ground.
Within the next five years or so, I'd expect significantly more ground staff to have access to a constant stream of information, giving them continual and complete understanding of an aircraft's performance.
What could this mean for the future?
Were an engine to develop issues midair, could it be possible for a standby system to kick in and run crucial systems from the ground, enabling the flight to continue safely?
The security and legal ramifications of remote operation are yet to be ironed out, and there are ongoing issues with bandwidth, but this is the direction the industry is moving.
We'll likely see major technological developments from players at the cutting edge of this market at Le Bourget this year.https://www.cnn.com/2015/06/09/travel/le-bourget-2015-predictions/