Airbus begins in-flight trials of IoT connected cabin technologies

Airbus has started in-flight testing of new Internet of Things (IoT) connected cabin technologies using its A350-900 Flight Lab aircraft.

The MSN002 A350-900 certification flight-test aircraft will support testing of these technologies in flight.

The Airspace Connected Experience platform was revealed at the APEX Expo last year.

The new connected cabin ecosystem is intended to allow passengers to receive a more personalised travel experience, as well as benefit airlines and crews.

According to the company, in-flight testing of the new innovations is being carried out after successfully conducting on-ground testing and customer evaluation.

Taking place in ‘a real airborne cabin’, the trials of IoT-connected cabin technologies during a normal flight cycle will help the company and partners assess and refine them.

As part of this programme, Flight Lab is installed with first connected elements’ prototypes such as connected iSeat (Recaro), the Connected Galley (gategroup), a remote wireless cabin management control system, a large OLED display, and open software.

In a statement, Airbus said: “The next steps will continue testing of the current setup, then close the feedback loop with airlines using Airbus’ Customer Experience Teams (CET) forum, by around year-end.”

The connected cabin ecosystem is expected to provide a personalised passenger travel experience in terms of ‘pre-meals and remote preferred meals ordering, private bin space booking, and setting of individual seat positions’.

For airlines, it will help generate additional revenues and improve operational efficiencies.

Equipped with smart tools, crews can enjoy an enhanced working environment.