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On 13th January’20, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) issued a public notice providing a one time opportunity for the voluntary disclosure of civil drones and drone operators on their Digital Sky platform by January 31. The Digital Sky Platform is an exclusive portal for national unmanned traffic management launched in 2018. This platform came up with a total count of 19,533 UAVs or drones in the country, which were registered in their January 14th-31st window earlier this year. On public demand, the MoCA decided to resume the drone registration last week, for those who missed it in the first phase. The registration started on June 8th and has been kept open-ended, so far.

Why is Enlisting important?

As per the ‘No permission-No take off’ policy, a drone user needs to use the DGCA’s software program DigiSky to obtain valid permissions before operating drones in India. Drone enlistment has two parts- after uploading the owner’s details- the owner would get a unique Ownership Acknowledgement Number (OAN). Using this OAN, the owner needs to upload the device’s information to get a Device Acknowledgment Number (DAN).

“Each drone will require a fresh enlistment. Since a drone owner may have multiple drones, the owner shall use the same OAN to enlist all drones owned by him. A separate DAN will be issued for each drone.”, as per the registration website.

Most government tenders for drones ask for UIN (Unique Identification Number) or DAN as an eligibility condition. However, possession of an OAN or DAN does not confer the right to operate the drone in India if it does not fulfill the provisions given in the civil aviation requirements (CAR).

“ Ownership of a drone in India without a valid OAN and DAN shall invite penal action as per applicable laws.”

Keeping security implications in mind, the DGCA, in August 2018, issued a set of rules to regulate the use of drones in the Indian airspace, which requires obtaining UIN and UAOP (unmanned aircraft operator permit) and other operational requirements. This rule also states that people using non registered drones would be penalized under IPC 287 that is for “negligent conduct with respect to machinery” and provides for jail up to 6 months and/or fine up to Rs 1,000. The DGCA rule provides punishment under IPC sections 336, 337, 338, or any relevant section if anyone is found using an unregistered UAV.

Keep your documents ready

Make sure to keep the following documents handy while filling the enlistment form:-

1. Scanned copy of Passport’s first and last page (in one sheet) or Aadhaar card’s front and back view (in one sheet).

2. Three high-quality pictures of your drone: front-view, top-view; and a close-up view of the manufacturer’s serial number. Each picture should have a physical measuring-scale placed adjacent to the drone in order to provide a reasonable approximation of its dimensions.

3. Copy of any utility bill (electricity, water, gas, fixed-line telephone, or mobile phone) or a bank statement not older than 3 months.

4. Copy of the highest educational qualification (required ONLY for individual owners).

5. PAN card of the organization (NOT required for individual owners).

6. Letter on official letterhead certifying appointment of Authorised Signatory (NOT required for individual owners).

Each document or picture should be less than 300kb in size and if all the above-mentioned items are readily available with you, filling up the form would barely take 25 minutes of your time.

Join the growing drone community

According to official government data, 1,832 nano, 13,735 micro, 2,808 small, 140 medium, and 1,038 large drones or UAVs were registered during the stipulated time back in January’20.

“The registration was a significant achievement as far as we are concerned because we never expected such a high number,” said Amber Dubey, the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, which carried out the survey.

“The registrations are just the beginning. Next, we will have the training of drone users, the tracking of drones, and the mapping to ensure that drones don’t intrude into sensitive areas,” Dubey added. The initiative ⁠ — akin to a ‘drone census’ ⁠ — is an attempt to identify civil drones and operators in India. All types of drones including models, prototypes, toys, RC aircraft, autonomous, and remotely piloted aircraft systems, will have to obtain a DAN, the Ministry informed.

Smit Shah, director of partnerships, Drone Federation of India, said, “The exercise will give us a picture of who owns what kind of drone in which part of the country. This data will help in making policy decisions and should ideally become the base for understanding the scale of drone operations in India. Finally, there is a way to get existing drones in the legal framework, and only if you register then in the future probably you will be considered, and some sort of a structure will be formed in which you can fly. This may enable the flying of drones easily in the future while maintaining high standards of safety, security, and accountability.”

Go on, tap the link — https://www.dronenlisting.dgca.gov.in/, to enlist your drones right now. Good luck!

                                              

Safety Management System is a very effective and proven management system to identify hazards in a proactive manner and to ensure that hazards do not turn into accidents, incidents, through timely elimination of hazards.

SMS was introduced in India for the first time on 20 Jul 10 by DGCA through the issue of a CAR. Since then DGCA has been making concerted efforts to ensure that the SMS is implemented in letter and spirit. In a recent audit by DGCA, it was observed that the implementation of SMS is lacking on many fronts and it is not being taken seriously by most of the Operators. The lack of proper implementation of SMS was also highlighted by the Honorable Minister of Civil Aviation during his briefing to the lawmakers in Parliament.

The Scope of SMS includes all the personnel of the operator right from the CEO downwards to lowest level including employees from Finance, HR, Admin and marketing etc. Every employee of the Company should be sensitized to the concept of Safety Management System depending on their role and responsibilities. Hence, everyone in an Aviation Company should be trained on SMS.

Most of the Operators have no choice but to train their employees i.e. Pilots, Cabin Crew, Accountable Executives/Managers, Chief, Deputy  Chief of Flight Safety and Safety Manager etc. as mandated by DGCA. Other employees of the Company obviously remain ignorant about the SMS in absence of any training.

It is pertinent to mention here that professional and vibrant Operators like Aviation Department of Gujarat and OSS Air Management have trained all their personnel including the class four helpers on SMS.

The Management of the Aviation organisations should appreciate that SMS is a very useful system to promote safety and hence, it would serve the interest of the Company towards maintenance of a safe operating environment. It needs to be remembered that Accidents are bad for business and reputation and can impact very heavily on the finances and survivability of a Company.

Keeping in mind the importance of SMS towards safety and the reluctance of the Operators to get the SMS training done for all their personnel due to financial considerations, ASMSI has decided to conduct Online  SMS training of all the personnel of a Company free of cost.

Kindly do not hesitate and feel free to avail this opportunity of getting all your personnel trained on SMS, without incurring any expenditure. Training of all your personnel on SMS will go a long way in enhancing safety of your operations and promoting safety culture in your organisation.

It must be remembered that Absence of Accidents does not mean that an organisation is Safe.

Air Commodore BS Siwach AVSM YSM VM (VETERAN) (9871251590)

Director General,Aviation safety Management Society of India

aviationsafetyindia@gmail.com

www.aviationsafetyindia.com

 

 

 

With inquiries growing over the past few days, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has expressed his view on India’s plans to resume international commercial passenger flights.

On Friday, the minister tweeted: “We are continuously monitoring the situation and will consider restarting international flights as soon as situation normalises a bit and poses no danger to our citizens. We will also have to consider that countries, where we intend to fly, are open to incoming foreign citizens.”

Under ‘Unlock 1.0’ guidelines released by the Ministry of Home Affairs on May 30, international flight operations remain suspended till June 30.

In fact, the guidelines stated that the resumption of operations will be discussed in ‘phase 3’ of Unlock 1.0, a timeline for which was not set at the time.

India Today TV has now learnt from highly-placed sources that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is targeting resumption of regular international flights by July.

But Is this possible? Resumption of commercial international flights depends on several factors. To begin with, domestic civil aviation operations, which restarted after a two-month gap on May 25, will have to see an increase in the number of flights being operated.

Currently, the ministry has permitted airlines to operate 1/3rd capacity of the summer schedule, which roughly means 33 per cent of the overall capacity of flights are currently up in the air.

Even then, state governments have imposed restrictions and are curtailing operations, in view of the overall pandemic scenario in their respective states.

Aviation minister Hardeep Puri has indicated that domestic operations will have to touch the 50-60 per cent mark for international flights to become viable.

Proactive Safety Initiative- Precautions Monsoon Flying-Aviation Safety India

 

Dear Sir/Madam,

Greetings from Aviation Safety Management Society of India (ASMSI).

ASMSI is concerned about the safety of Aviation Operations in the country and is taking proactive steps to compliment the efforts and initiatives of DGCA to maintain high standards of safe flying environments.

Monsoon/Rainy season, which is around the corner, is known to pose number of hazards to flying and has caused many weather related accidents/incidents around the world.

Last year there were couple of avoidable runway excursions and overruns causing serious damage to aircraft? It was fortunate that many safety situations occurring due weather were controlled in time to prevent any mishap.

ASMSI has prepared a list of Precautions to be taken during Monsoon Flying (attached)which are aimed to create awareness about the hazards associated with Monsoon Season and steps to be taken to prevent any occurrences due to adverse weather conditions, among various stakeholders.

It is an acknowledged fact that Safety concerns all the stakeholders and every one right from top to bottom has an important role to play. Hence, it is essential that CEO’s, Accountable Executives/Managers, Head Operations,Safety,Training,Maintenance,Safety Managers, Marketing Executives,Dispatch,Ops and Maintenance and other  supporting staff, are fully involved to ensure safety and efficiency of the operations.

Senior Management has a significant role to play in promoting Safety Culture in their respective organisations and they should be at the forefront to provide Safety assurance through sincere and serious implementations of Safety Management System in their organisation, keeping in mind the Monsoon related hazards.

Emphasis should be laid on knowledge, skill levels, competency, recency, proficiency checks, hands on flying, instrument and Simulator Flying,

Flight following and close monitoring of the progress of the flights and weather developments should be ensured by the concerned officials. ATC, Met Department and Company Dispatch should be proactive, alert, vigilant, situationally aware and provide timely assistance, accurate and timely weather information and runway condition.

Last year some runways were blocked and operations were suspended due to the aircraft overruns/excursions and lack of Disabled Aircraft Recovery Equipment (DARE). DGCA had acted swiftly and given instructions for priority procurement of the DARE by number of airports and hopefully these must have been made operational. Hope and pray that there will be no requirement to use the DARE but procurement is essential to cater for contingencies. DGCA must be complimented for being firm on procurement of the essential Disabled Aircraft Recovery Equipment.

Let us all join hands to make sure that there are no flight safety related occurrences during this Monsoon Season.

Knowledge, Awareness, Professional Planning, Preparations, Adherence to SOP’s, Rules, Regulations, Supervision, Monitoring  and full Involvement of Senior Management are Key to Safety of Operations.

Please share among your friends and colleagues. I shall be grateful for your efforts.

Happy Landings. 

Thanking you

With warm Regards 

Air Cmde BS Siwach AVSM YSM VM (Veteran)

Director General (9871251590)

Aviation Safety Management Society of India

New Delhi.

www.aviationsafetyindia.com 

PRECAUTIONS- FLYING DURING MONSOON SEASON 

General. 

During the past years, DGCA has taken many proactive steps and has  published number of CAR’s and Circulars which are source of knowledge and guide the Pilots and Operators to take various steps to ensure safety of aviation operations during adverse weather operations. All the Pilots and Operators should go through the following DGCA CAR’s and Circulars, make a summary of important points, disseminate and  prepare themselves for safe and efficient conduct of aviation operations during adverse weather phases:-

CIVIL AVIATION REQUIREMENT SECTION 8 – AIRCRAFT OPERATIONS SERIES ‘C’ PART I Issue I, Dated 13th June 2011 Effective (Rev 10): 01st April 2017. All Weather Operations (AWO).

CIVIL AVIATION REQUIREMENTS SECTION 8 – OPERATIONS SERIES ‘O’, PART V ISSUE II, 28TH MARCH 2017 EFFECTIVE: FORTHWITH, Subject: OPERATION OF GENERAL AVIATION HELICOPTERS.

OC NO 3 OF 2017 Date: 17th January 2017 OPERATIONS CIRCULAR, Subject: Unstable Approaches

OC NO 9 OF 2017 Date: 18th August 2017 OPERATIONS CIRCULAR, Subject: Approach and Landing Accident Reduction (ALAR) and Control Flight into Terrain (CFIT) reduction tool kit.

OPERATIONS CIRCULAR 1 OF 2013 Subject: Missed Approach/Go Around, 08 February 2013.

OPERATIONS CIRCULAR 02 OF 2010, December 17, 2011 Revision 1, dated December 17, 2011 Subject: PILOT’S SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

OC NO 2 OF 2014 Date: 1st May 2014 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA, CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION OPERATIONS CIRCULAR Subject: Continuous Descent Final Approach (CDFA).

OC NO 3 OF 2015 Date: 4th August 2015 OPERATIONS CIRCULAR, Subject: Crosswind and Tailwind Operational Limits.

OC NO 3 OF 2014 Date: 25TH JUNE 2014 GOVERNMENT OF INDIA CIVIL AVIATION DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR GENERAL OF CIVIL AVIATION OPERATIONS CIRCULAR Subject: All-Weather Operations Training Programme

AIR SAFETY CIRCULAR 09/2013 Subject: Precautionary landings of helicopters due bad weather. Dated 13th December, 2013.

AIR SAFETY CIRCULAR 03 OF 2017, Dated: 10th Oct, 2017 Subject: Adverse Weather Operations.

OC NO 2 OF 2017 Date: 17th January 2017 OPERATIONS CIRCULAR, Subject: Guidance for Operators on Training Programme on the use of Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS).

• Adverse Weather is one of the Worst Enemy of the Pilots. Flying during Monsoon Season pose number of hazards and challenges to the Pilots.
• Flying during monsoons particularly in Northeastern states, Western Ghats, Coastal areas and hilly areas demands special attention and alertness on part of the aircrew.
• Early mornings, afternoons are more likely to have thunderstorms. Keep this aspect in mind.

• Normally adverse phase of thunderstorms lasts around 30 Mts to 1 Hour but in the case of regenerating thunderstorms it may continue for hours.

• Flying in the hills is most dangerous during monsoons and great care must be exercised.

• Offshore flying is very challenging during monsoons. Exercise special caution and take no chances with weather particularly during monsoons which are quite severe in the areas of offshore operations.

• Need to Brush up your knowledge about Spatial Disorientation, loss of Situational Awareness, prevention of CFIT and Approach, Landing Accident Reduction tool Kit, cannot be overemphasized.

• Be knowledgeable about use of Weather Radar and onboard Nav, Landing Aids and approach charts.

• Knowledge of terrain is very vital particularly during monsoons and adverse Wx Conditions. Study the terrain thoroughly and have full knowledge about the Minimum Enroute Altitude, Minimum Safe Altitude, MORA, grid MORA, natural and manmade obstructions enroute and around airfield, Helipads.

• Be current in instrument flying/simulator flying and know the limitation of Aircraft/Helicopter and your own limitations.

• Ensure serviceability of your weather radar, wind screen wipers, Nav aids, communication equipment, Radio Altimeter, ELT, flying instruments, nav and flashing beacons etc.

• It is very essential to plan the flight meticulously keeping in mind the weather conditions, availability of diversionary airfields. On number of occasions due to widespread thunderstorms; it may not be possible to reach your destination and even the diversionary airfield/helipad. Fuel planning has to be as per the CAR on the subject and plan for extra fuel to cater for contingencies.

• Carry out thorough preflight briefing, covering the aspect of CRM,Situation and terrain awareness, weather conditions and contingency plans in case of adverse weather.

• Remember the Golden Rule in Aviation. Aviate, Navigate, Communicate. One of the Pilot should be flying/monitoring the aircraft / Helicopter all the Time. Accident happen when both the pilots are busy doing something else and no one is flying and monitoring.

• Do not get pressurized for any reason to undertake the flight and take no chances with weather. Don’t hesitate to say NO regardless of pressures.

• No show off, false sense of pride, ego, macho attitude. Number of aircrew have lost their lives while taking chance with weather.

• Effective team work and synergy are of paramount importance. Cockpit/Authority gradient related issues should be addressed to ensure better synergy and coordination between crew.

• A knowledgeable and alert Co Pilot/First Officer is a great asset in the cockpit. Co Pilot/First Officer should be good monitor of the situation and provide full cooperation and support to the Captain. Co Pilot should keep in mind that in spite of the experience levels, the Captain can get disoriented, loose situational awareness and commit errors. An alert and situationally aware Co Pilot can caution the Captain in time and help in preventing mishaps.

• It is essential to maintain open atmosphere in the cockpit so as to enable Co Pilot/First Officer to give inputs without any fear, apprehension or reservation.

• Bird Hazards increase during Monsoon Months due to water accumulation and vegetation growth. After vegetation clearance, plenty of insects and reptiles get exposed which attract birds and increase bird hazard. Keep these aspects in mind to avoid bird strikes.

• High Humidity and Temperatures which are typical of monsoon season, can lead to fatigue and stress among Pilots. This aspect has to be kept in mind since stressed and fatigued pilots are more prone to errors.

During Flight

• Use the Weather Radar in conjunction with weather reports and forecast to detect, analyse and avoid weather. If the weather situation is bad and widespread, then do not press on. Divert or return to your base in time.

• Most of the accidents during bad weather occur during approach and landing. As far as possible, carry out ILS approach, if available. Otherwise, Continuous Descent Final Approach (CDFA) in case of Non Precision Approach.

• Chances of accidents in Non-Precision Approaches are 5 times more than during ILS approaches. Be very careful about horizontal and vertical situational awareness.

• Remember the landing techniques on wet, contaminated runways, be familiar with risk of hydroplaning, cross wind landing Techniques, essential aspects of stabilized approach, use of reverse thrust and spoilers.

• Never hesitate to go around or divert if the situation demands. DGCA/ATC/Operator need no explanation for go around/diversion on grounds of Safety.Follow the SOP meticulously. Take the decision to divert in time before it is too late.

• While orbiting or in hold waiting for your turn to land, particularly at busy airports like Delhi,Mumbai,Chennai,Kolkata,Bangalore,Hyderabad, be fully alert and situationally aware about the availability of diversionary airports, weather conditions, availability of approach and landing aids and fuel state. Do not delay decision to divert if situation demands.

• Have good CRM in the cockpit. Remember the phenomenon of spatial disorientation and apply the knowledge about it intelligently. Trust your instruments and do not look outside while flying on instruments.

• With weather, no amount of experience or heroism works. Never be overconfident, respect weather and prepare well for your sortie. Do not press on regardless of adverse weather even if you are highly experienced.

• Most of the flying by helicopters is VFR. Ensure that flying is undertaken with ground contact. Keep a very sharp look out for obstructions like pylons, cables, TV towers, Communication poles/towers, high rise buildings, tall trees, hills, high ground etc.

• If forced to descend below clouds (Helicopters) to remain in contact with ground and unable to maintain safe height, than it is better to divert, return to base or land at suitable place (Air Safety Circular 09/2013), rather than continue at low heights in poor visibility conditions.
•  Importance of correct Altimeter setting, cross check between Captain, Co Pilots/First Officer, altitude/Height Call Outs, correlation of the altitude/Height with Radio Altimeter, needs special emphasis. Do not ignore EGPWS/TAWS warnings.
•  Do not disengage autopilot while flying under IMC conditions. Make use of TOGA switch as per SOP whenever situation demands.

 

Post-Fight

Proper picketing, lashing of Aircraft/Helicopters is essential to prevent damage due to strong gusty wind conditions.

Ensure the bonding of Aircraft/Helicopter is intact to prevent lightning strikes.

Take great care during refueling lest water enters fuel tanks. Proper bonding during refueling needs no emphasis.

Ensure that the Aircraft/Helicopter are  not parked in low lying areas which are prone to flooding, water logging specially in high rain density areas like Mumbai etc.

Rain Water and high humidity during monsoons have adverse effects on electronics equipment and spurious warnings. Ensure protection by parking inside hangars if possible. Use suitable covers when parking in the Open.

Ensure that the Aircraft/Helicopter is properly sealed when parked. Danger of reptiles entering the Ac/helicopter are high during monsoons due flooding.

Kuchcha /grassy landing surface becomes soggy during rains. Ensure due caution during landing, parking. Wheels/skids getting stuck on wet surface may lead to dynamic roll over conditions. Skidding while fast taxying/turning is expected on wet surfaces. Exercise caution.

Birds are known to make nest in the areas of air intakes, exhaust and other available space on Aircraft/Helicopters even with in a very short duration. Carry out proper externals.

Make sure that soft parts of the Aircraft/Helicopter like stabilizers/antennas etc. are covered while parked with proper covers to prevent damage due to hail storms.

AMEs, Technicians to exercise due caution while servicing the Aircraft/Helicopter since chances of slipping are high due to wet surfaces.

Carry out special checks on aircraft/helicopter parts/equipment which are likely to get affected due to rain water. Rusting of the parts is another hazard.

Although efforts have been made to include all the aspects related to monsoon flying yet there may be some points which might have been missed out. Operators, supervisors, aircrew, maintenance staff are requested to include those which have been missed out or are particularly applicable in their area of operations.  Let us all involve ourselves to ensure safe flying during monsoons.

All the best and happy landings.

www.aviationsafetyindia.com

 

 

 

 

New Delhi: SpiceJet plans to use drones for faster delivery of medical, essential and e-commerce supplies in remote areas of the country. The budget airline has got Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) nod to conduct drone trials. A consortium led by SpiceJet’s freighter arm, SpiceXpress, had submitted a proposal to the regulator for conducting experimental “beyond visual line of sight” (BVLOS) operations of remotely piloted aircraft in response to a DGCA expression of interest.

SpiceJet CMD Ajay Singh said: “Testing of drone technology for last mile connectivity and cost-effective cargo deliveries are a big leap in the air transportation of essential and non-essential supplies in India. We are extremely optimistic about using this exciting new mode of delivery for products like perishables and medicines which have a smaller shelf-life and need urgent deliveries in the remotest parts of India.”

The consortium includes Throttle Aerospace, a drone manufacturing company, AeoLogic, an analytics and software solution firm and Involia, which is a provider of air traffic awareness and collision avoidance services.

“SpiceXpress will be looking at last-mile delivery from the warehouse and the prime focus will be on delivering medical emergency parcels and essential supplies in remote areas. Drones will ensure a faster delivery bringing down costs and would go a long way to augment our business to offer express delivery of medicines, perishable items and e-commerce shipments,” the airline said in a statement.

In a breakthrough for electric flight technology, a 750-horsepower electric engine made by MagniX, an Australian electric motor manufacturer, will power a Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft to fly for an expected 20-30 minutes over Washington state. This will be the largest aircraft ever to fly on electric power.

In December last year, an engine from the same company powered a seaplane in Vancouver, Canada, in what was described as the “world’s first” 100 per cent electric flight.

The retrofitted Caravan plane, which can carry nine passengers, is expected to take off at 8 am Pacific time (8:30 pm in India) on May 28, and will fly at a speed of 183 kmph, as per a Guardian report. However, for its first journey, a test pilot will fly the plane alone.

The plane selected, a Cessna 208 Caravan, is a popular utility aircraft around the world since the 1980s, with over 2,600 currently being operated for commuter airlines, air cargo, VIP transport, flight training, and humanitarian missions. MagniX aims at commercial operations over a 100-mile range by 2021, and hopes retrofitting its engine to a Caravan would speed up regulatory approvals.

According to a CNBC report, such electric flights could require significantly less maintenance compared to fuel-based aircraft, and could lead to short-distance flights becoming cheaper, thus helping make it more viable for airlines to fly to remote locations.

Apart from MagniX, several companies are involved in making electric flights a reality. The ride-sharing company Uber has announced air taxis to fly as early as 2023. Major industry players such as Airbus and Rolls Royce, a number of startups, as well as the space agency NASA are involved in developing electric flight technologies.

Yet, despite the promise shown by short-range electric flights, several more years of development is expected for powering long-distance journeys. A major obstacle in this process is battery technology, with the weight of the battery being a major challenge.

The aviation sector is a fast-growing source of carbon emissions, and significantly contributes to climate change. According to the World Wildlife Federation, unregulated carbon pollution from aviation is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. If the entire sector is considered as a country, it would be among the 10 most polluting nations on the planet.

By 2050, the aviation industry is expected to cater to 16 billion passengers, up from 2.4 billion in 2010. If the sector solely relies on conventional technologies, emissions would triple by 2050.

Making the aviation sector eco-friendly is an important step for meeting the 2016 Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting the increase in global temperatures to below 2 deg Celsius, and pursuing efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 deg Celsius.

Environmental activism has already impacted the popularity of air travel as a mode of transport. According to a UBS bank study from October last year, campaigns such as those by Greta Thunberg and the Swedish concept of “flygskam” or “flight shaming” are expected to cause people to cut down on their flying habits in the US and Europe.

Post the 60-day lockdown, as the Civil Aviation Minister, Hardeep Singh Puri issued guidelines to commence domestic flight operation with 1/3rd capacity from May 25, 2020, Bangalore International Airport (BAIL) has also decided to resume their domestic travel operations with a contactless journey from pre-entry of the airport to security check to the boarding of the flight.

The BAIL press release has stated that “The technology will continue to enable a seamless airport journey, with greater emphasis on health and safety.” Starting from their pre-entry process, which includes e-boarding pass and thermal screening of people to facial recognition system at the check-in process and self-service kiosk, BAIL has been relying on new-age technologies to transform the whole process of travelling.

Alongside, Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport has also planned to resume its operations with contactless flying for their passengers. GHIAL has deployed thermal cameras for monitoring travellers along with Automatic Information Management System, a virtual help desk for guiding travellers with their problems, which in turn, omits any contact with travellers.

The COVID-19 created a halt for the aviation industry, with an 80% drop in the global flight activity at the end of April. Therefore, the aviation companies are strategizing differently to revamp their entire business process with digital technologies like AI, ML and RPA. In fact, from passenger identification and baggage screening to customer support and predictive maintenance, airports and airline companies can heavily rely on artificial intelligence to augment the industry work process.

How Can AI Be Beneficial For The Aviation Industry?

AI has been a critical technology in transforming the operations of the travel industry amid this crisis. Not only has the technology been used to automate the travellers’ checking processes with minimum contact but also collect flight data for optimising rout and weather forecasting. Alongside, artificial intelligence has also been used to create virtual assistants for customer queries, enhanced logistics operation, facial recognition system replacing biometrics for security checks and self-service kiosks equipped with augmented reality. Airline companies are also involving artificial intelligence to improve their air safety; read here, how.

In fact, according to a recent survey, 97.2% of the aviation companies are working towards deploying big data, and artificial intelligence, with 76.5% of the firms are leveraging the value of collected data and empowering AI for cognitive learning initiatives. These numbers alone show that amid the crisis, airline companies and airports are rethinking technology to keep up their relevance.

Futurist Rohit Talwar of Fast Future said to the media that the majority of the aviation firms would give more attention to digital transformation, “there could be radically different business models with a greater focus on technology and automation, designed for the era we are in.” These advancements are aiming towards minimising the impact of this pandemic on their traveller’s experience.

These firms are majorly utilising AI, ML and robotics to keep their finances stable amid this crisis. One of the main areas where airline service providers are implementing artificial intelligence is the customer service aspect, which provides great potential for leveraging new technologies. Along with AI-based chatbots, firms are also giving airport security and aircraft monitoring with artificial intelligence.

Apart from these, aircraft manufacturers like Airbus have been using cloud-based systems for data collection and storing, and analyse the same to enhance the reliability of aircraft maintenance. Also, airlines and airports have deployed robotics technology to onboard passengers. Case in point: Bangalore International Airport, similar to Incheon, has been planning to use a humanoid robot, developed by a Bangalore-based startup Sirena Technologies, for assisting travellers with their boarding. Also, AirIndia, the country’s leading airline, has been using Taxibot on their A320 aircraft — a robot-used aircraft tractor for their passenger boarding.

Many airlines and airport authorities are also partnering with the government to provide seamless travel for their passengers. In a recent development, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has also launched a connected application — DigiYatra, which will process information through facial recognition at checkpoints, provide digital guidance systems, offer interactive kiosks and augmented reality apps for travellers.

Globally, airports in Singapore and Hong Kong are relying on thermal screening for monitoring passengers and robots to sanitise the airport. Also, Airlines, like Etihad, has been working on developing interactive automated kiosks that are an all-in-one system to check travellers’ temperature and heart rate before issuing their tickets and can process the massive volume of biometric data. Jorg Oppermann, Vice President Hub and Midfield Operations, Etihad Airways stated to the media that, “We are testing this technology because we believe it will not only help in the current COVID-19 outbreak but also in future, with assessing a passenger’s suitability to travel, and thus minimising disruptions.” Even, Los Angeles airport has stated using an advanced biometric self-boarding solution to help passengers travel securely with no contact.

Some Of The Critical Applications Of AI In The Aviation Industry Are:

Identifying Traveller’s Information While Checking-In

Security is a prime concern for airports, and therefore it is imperative for the authorities to have a proper check of documents and identification of the passengers travelling. AI-enabled systems and tools equipped with facial recognition technology can help airport authorities identify passengers by using the data and matching the same with their passport photos. For instance, one of the American Airlines, Delta Airlines have installed cameras and deployed facial recognition technology to identify their passengers while checking in.

Alongside, airport authorities can also use the advanced technology in their security scanners to detect potential threats at significant and popular airports of the world. Many airlines have also deployed this technology in their mobile apps and automated the whole boarding process to provide a better travel experience to their customers amid their crisis. Technology like artificial intelligence and machine learning would also help in speeding up the process of attending customers, which in turn will help the officials in a longer run.

Luggage Screening For Passengers

Along with identifying travellers and checking their documents, it is also imperative for airport authorities to review and screen the luggage of the travellers in order to detect any potential threats. With traditional methods, the luggage screening process could be tedious. However, with AI-based systems, security officials can quickly identify threatful and illegal items in travellers’ luggage in a much-simplified manner. These systems help in automated screening, which can detect potential threats in the luggage through X-rays and computed tomography.

In recent news, in an effort to enhance security, Pune Airport, in India, has deployed a smart luggage screening system enabled with AI technology, designed to automatically detect dangerous objects and other potential threats in travellers’ luggage, and alert operators in real time. According to Ajay Kumar, the Director of Pune Airport, “This AI software technology can automatically detect various objects and other threats from the x-ray images produced during the screening of baggage and alert operatives.” By exploring the potential of AI in luggage screening, the aviation industry can enhance its operations.

Better Customer Support With AI-Powered Chatbots

One of the significant areas for the aviation industry to deploy artificial intelligence is to create a better travel customer experience for their passengers and customers. Not only it reduces employee costs but also speeds up the process with AI-powered chatbots as virtual assistants. According to a recent report, it is expected that by the end of this year, 4.72 billion passengers would be travelling via air, and that brings the necessity of having an efficient system that can handle such an increasing demand among travellers. Considering virtual assistants are cost-effective for airlines, it could be a preferred choice in the industry.

Companies are using AI-powered chatbots to provide flight-related information to their customers and customised attention to each traveller with their queries, which in turn help in saving several human hours doing mundane tasks. Many airlines also build their bots on popular social media apps — Icelandair, a flag carrier airline of Iceland, has created a Facebook Messenger bot to communicate with its customers 24/7. These chatbots provide enhanced customer experience to the airline companies, and therefore are massively on the rise. In fact, according to a SITA report, 68% of airline companies and 42% of airports have implemented AI-powered chatbots to provide necessary information to their customers.

New Delhi: Strange are the ways of the world. Bhopal suddenly seemed far and distant since the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown was announced on 24th March 2020. An hour and a half’s flight or an overnight train away, a weekend hop to met folks, family and friends often, the 750 odd kilometres between Delhi and Bhopal seemed to carry the weight of distance now.

With state borders closed and lockdown extended to almost two months, I waited for this new normal to normalise with what was the known normal. So when the resumption of flights was announced, I booked a flight back home on day one.

I am at the Indira Gandhi International Airport on May 25, 2020, all geared to take the Air India flight from Delhi to Bhopal. I booked an Air India flight ticket for 5 pm departure on May 23 and the ticket price was a regular one under INR 4000. As a prep, read the SOP for travellers at the airport and saw some of the videos on Twitter shared by journalists.

While doing the web check-in on 24th May, the boarding pass issued was for 8 pm and seats previously chosen were different so there was a lot of confusion whether the flight was departing at 5 pm or 8 pm on May 25.

The helpline call numbers had a long waiting and so we waited with multiple screenshots on flights schedules saying that it will depart at 8 pm.

Finally, while news of multiple flights came through in the first half of 25th May, we got to know that the flight we had booked was cancelled but passengers on this flight would be shifted to another one that would be flying to Baroda via Bhopal from Delhi at 5 pm.

So we reached the airport- I and my childhood friend with her three-year-old kid.

All our bags were thoroughly sanitized – showered and sprayed at a point in the line to have our tickets/boarding passes on the phone checked. There are marking on the floor to maintain social distancing.

An airline kiosk asked us regarding our flight and reconfirmed that the original one was cancelled and that we would be accommodated in the Baroda bound flight AI 819.

The CISF officer at the gate checked the ticket and the identity card like pre-lockdown journeys but while standing behind a glass wall now. Even asking to lower the mask to crosscheck and match the face. Once inside, between the two entrance doors, the sanitizer-soaked carpet sanitised shoes. An official asked if the Arogya Setu app was on the phone and I showed it to him. The thermal scanner checked the temperature and I was inside the airport.

The check-in bags were scanned again and Air India and airport staff were there to help travellers take out a printout of the boarding pass at the kiosk.

The lines for the bag drop kiosks were also marked to maintain social distancing and everyone at the airport was seen wearing masks, a lot of people were also wearing gloves and some even wearing the face shield.

The check-in bag was dropped and I headed for security check line again marked with lines on the floor to indicate the place to stand and maintain social distancing.

The CISF officer in a PPE suit checked my boarding pass and I was at the security check counter as usual. Except the lady checking wore a double protective face shield.

The T3 airport seemed to be open to inch back to life. The shops and eateries were open but they were empty. No one was browsing or even window shopping for now. But having the shops open did give a sense of things inching back to normal.

A coffee at Starbucks was a takeaway with only one person allowed to order.

At the boarding gate, the seats in the waiting area had yellow strips marked to not sit on them to maintain social distancing.

Just before boarding, the Air India ground staff gave all the passengers a safety kit – a face shield, masks and pouches of sanitizers.

And before boarding the flight, at the boarding gate, thermal scanning of body temperature also done once again.

The airline crew is wearing Protective suits from head to toe. Announcing restriction of movement inside the aeroplane to passengers.

The middle seats in the flight haven’t been booked and are empty as of now. Everyone is adhering to wearing the face shields, wearing masks and maintaining physical distancing. Except for three-year-olds who are tough to convince for now, but still are being cajoled.

It’s a quieter airport on day one as flights resume in the new normal way of life as with learning to live with Covid19 for the time being. A heavily sanitized airport and aeroplane. And we collectively wait to take off in this flight due in a few minutes, while in our own little bubbles covered by face shields, masks, gloves and armed with sanitizers – as we resume what used to be normal in the new normal.

(Nanditta Chibber is an Author and a Media & Communication Professional based out of Delhi.)