Airbus has selected UnaBiz to advance research in digitalization of aircraft maintenance operations through the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. The contract sees both parties enter into a research and technology agreement in the field of Maintenance Repair and Overall (MRO).
In a data-driven environment, communication between the various components must be available on demand and accurate at all times. Beyond the wired network, most components of the infrastructure are mobile and require some form of wireless communication, especially in transmitting small packets of data over a long distance. This is where UnaBiz comes into the picture.
The recent boom in IoT has brought new wireless network solutions to the market. Most existing wireless solutions are based on private networks that require the setup of a dedicated numbers of beacons to serve a single company, limiting the coverage and significantly increasing the cost of ownership and operation.
By working with UnaBiz, Airbus can leverage on Sigfox’s low-power, wide-area network (LPWAN), a technology that is low cost in terms of capital investment and operation, ultra-low in power consumption, simple to deploy, and has a global coverage.
Both Airbus and UnaBiz commented that significant resources will be dedicated to this project to ensure that the solutions defined can be successfully deployed to facilities and operations globally.
Ivan Ho, Managing Director of Airbus Singapore said, “We are most excited to work with UnaBiz to explore the immense potential of IoT. UnaBiz’s unique approach to device-to-cloud communications offers a disruptive IoT solution with potential for global applications.”
Henri Bong, CEO and Founder, UnaBiz said, “MRO has always been a tough aviation function to automate due to the complexity and confidentiality of sensitive data. UnaBiz is committed to using its existing deep development expertise to build intelligence in tools, components and other devices used in specific MRO processes. It is our mission to power cost-effective and energy-efficient connectivity for businesses as it is the only way the IoT revolution can materialise. We want to help Airbus increase operational reliability and efficiency without increasing overall costs through the implementation of IoT solutions on an affordable network.”
