Commenting on its partnership with VISTA at Dubai Airshow 2021, Elodie Robin-Guillerm from Gothams said: “We believe in the importance of providing the right resources, technology and connections to help empower companies to successfully own their vision and accelerate into the aerospace and defence industries. The start-up ecosystem is thriving not just with ideas, but also with innovative startups and investors looking to help businesses scale up and expand. Dubai Airshow 2021 will be an important, in-person, platform for understanding the role of innovation, cutting-edge solutions and services for the future growth of the aerospace sectors. It will be the only live event of its kind this year and we look forward to collaborating with the wider industry to help showcase the power of technology for its future.”
The aviation and aerospace sectors have continuously found ways to create new methods and ways of operating through progressive and modern technology. For example, as part of the rapid digitalisation that the aviation sector in the UAE is undergoing, Etihad Airways and the air transport communications specialist, SITA, conducted a trial on the use of facial recognition technology to identify and authenticate crew members. This initiative aims to substitute check-in kiosks, which require crew to use their staff identity cards as a form of authentication.
A recent announcement between Amadeus and Norwegian airport operator Avinor paves the way for a touchless travel journey for passengers. Avinor, which operates 44 airports, is trialling touchless technology that allows passengers to check in, drop bags, proceed through security and board their flight.
Additionally, Emirates has partnered with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to become one of the first airlines to test IATA Travel Pass – a mobile application that enables passengers to create a ‘digital passport’ to verify their required pre-travel COVID-19 test or vaccination and manage all travel documentations digitally and seamlessly throughout their airport journey.