{"id":6070,"date":"2022-10-12T14:08:58","date_gmt":"2022-10-12T08:38:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ijpiel.com\/?p=6070"},"modified":"2022-10-12T14:11:06","modified_gmt":"2022-10-12T08:41:06","slug":"artificial-intelligence-in-aviation-sector-the-road-to-be-taken","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ijpiel.com\/index.php\/2022\/10\/12\/artificial-intelligence-in-aviation-sector-the-road-to-be-taken\/","title":{"rendered":"Artificial Intelligence in Aviation Sector: The Road to be Taken?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n

The aviation sector is constantly being subjected to technological advancements. This technological advancement is dominated by the presence of Artificial Intelligence, which has penetrated almost all sectors. With the changing world and the advancements in the field of Artificial Intelligence, the Indian aviation sector is also witnessing the same. <\/span><\/p>\n

Through this Blog Post, the authors explore the aspect of Artificial Intelligence in the Indian aviation sector and the need for the same. Post that, the authors analyze the Indian aviation sector coupled with the presence of AI, in addition to the recommendations and challenges that are being faced by the sector, concluding with the way forward.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Introduction<\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Aviation is a powerhouse sector that is an underlying driver of the world\u2019s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The accessibility of air travel has undergone tremendous changes as it has evolved to its present form. In today\u2019s global world, air travel has become a standard tool, and more so, it serves as the most efficient and speediest means of connectivity, transforming travel for millions of people. At the same time, it is essential to address the issue of sustainability with the advancements in the aviation sector. This is when the<\/span>\u201cSustainable Mobility for All (SuM4All) Partnership\u201d<\/a> comes into the picture. This partnership is unique, with 56 international organizations entering a coalition to change the landscape of transport and mobility, having sustainability as its central focus. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Encompassing domestic and international airports, scheduled and non-scheduled domestic and international passenger airlines, helicopter and seaplane services, ground handling, maintenance, repair, and operations (MROs), flight and technical training institutions, and other similar aspects, the aviation sector is witnessing rapid advancements in Research & Development (R&D) and Technology. The aviation sector, like many others, has remained stirred by the effects of digitization and the products of the digital revolution. With airlines gearing for a robust recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in passenger traffic, today’s challenge is to manage growth by containing costs, efficiently and effectively using resources, and enhancing the passenger experience. Thus, digitization is the key to achieving these goals in the aviation sector. In an<\/span>International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Report<\/a>, the importance of technological innovation in mobility and its immense impact on the aviation sector has been recognized. The said<\/span>Report<\/a> acknowledges Artificial Intelligence (AI), cybersecurity, automation, robotics, blockchain, and other similar advanced technologies as the future of aviation. Adopting technologies such as AI serves as a medium for profitability and improved customer service. From chatbots to AI-powered airport kiosks, AI plays a critical role in the aviation sector.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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AI and the Aviation Sector<\/strong><\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

As mentioned above, it is pertinent to note that the digitization of the aviation sector on the international platform has played a vital role in ensuring smooth mobility. AI is not just aiding the aviation sector in<\/span>achieving operational efficiency<\/a> to its maximum but is also playing a crucial role in averting expensive fallacies and ensuring maximum customer satisfaction. AI gained momentum, especially after the COVID-19 era \u2014 when the aviation sector across the world was biting losses around it \u2014 as the losses are<\/span>expected to decrease<\/a> from $52 billion in the year 2021 to $12 billion in 2022. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The nexus between AI and the aviation sector is primarily found in areas like customer service and retention, operational efficiency, Air Traffic Control (ATC), Air Traffic Management (ATM), and autonomous machines and processes. It could be understood in detail by the following elucidation. <\/span><\/p>\n

a) As for customer service and retention<\/u><\/strong>, AI has been essential in ensuring increased customer satisfaction and experience in the aviation sector. This includes better optimization of the pricing strategies, providing recommendations to the consumers based on their frequency of travel, mapping the purchase history, and other similar measures by AI. The deployment of AI has not only assisted in the above sectors but has also allowed airline companies to render personalized offers and deals to their customers, achieving maximum customer satisfaction. The aspect of chatbots (which are called advanced virtual assistants) cannot be ignored as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

b) AI would play a significant role in reducing operating costs and other expenses and would aid in increasing the operational efficiency <\/u><\/strong>of aviation companies. The dynamics of operational efficiency circumnavigates around two aspects, i.e., dynamic pricing and pricing optimization. The aspect of dynamic pricing refers to the alteration in the price of a particular service or product as per the growing or declining market condition. With the help of AI, airlines are now making the best of the base fare of the tickets, which has been formulated as per the variables in play (like flight path, passenger journey, and other similar variables.). Once this is done, these fares are adjusted according to market conditions, which maximizes airline revenues. <\/span><\/p>\n

On the other hand, the aspect of pricing optimization, which works similarly to that of dynamic pricing, works for a different purpose. With the help of AI in price optimization, various ways are explored to ensure that the seats in the flight are booked and, at the same time, the sales revenue is maximized. Incorporating AI in both these sectors at the end would help maximize the revenue using algorithms coupled with the other variables at play when the flight tickets are booked.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, AI helps in facets like flight delay prediction (by deploying AI, specifically predictive analysis techniques, aspects like weather forecast and the status of the other airports could be taken into cognizance, which would then allow the authorities to make guidelines and arrangements accordingly), flight route optimization, crew scheduling, and fraud detection, to name a few. <\/span><\/p>\n

c) The introduction of autonomous machines and processes<\/u> <\/strong>has proved to be an essential breakthrough in the aviation sector. The concept of \u201cself-driving airplanes\u201d has gained much momentum in the aviation sector. Companies like Boeing and Airbus have already begun tests for self-driven airplanes using AI algorithms. With the advancement in technologies like these, the door for autonomous technology has opened many possibilities. These possibilities include quick resolution of issues by identification of the defects and errors by AI, highlighting the variations in the manufacturing processes, and other similar possibilities. These autonomous machines are not limited to airplanes; they can also include aspects like ground handling, loading, fueling, and other related aspects.<\/span><\/p>\n

d) Air Traffic Control (ATC) and Air Traffic Management (ATM)<\/u><\/strong> are one of the most critical tasks in the aviation sector. It is to be noted that even with the incorporation of AI in such tasks, humans cannot be replaced by these machines. The machine-learning aspect intends to assist humans in repetitive and predictive tasks revolving around ATC and ATM. The best example of this was when the UK Government, in 2021,<\/span>insinuated a GBP 3-million budget<\/a> to commence the live trials for an airspace control system that AI had powered. This project \u2014 called the \u201c<\/span>Project Bluebird<\/a>\u201d \u2014 had been implemented in partnership with The Alan Turing Institute and the National Air Traffic Services (NATS). As a part of this Project, the Alan Turing Institute, along with the NATS, have approached a complex problem circumnavigating around finding a way on how AI could be incorporated in such a manner that the ATM is optimized in a full-fledged manner. As a part of this Project, the collaborating institutes wish to focus on three critical issues: <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n