As demand for air travel expands, French aircraft manufacturer Airbus is testing new technologies that could change how aircraft move through increasingly crowded skies and airports.
The company says the number of aircraft flying could double over the next two decades, while airport infrastructure will not grow at the same pace.
That means aircraft will have to operate in denser and more complex environments, from busy taxiways to more unpredictable weather conditions due to climate change.
“We need to find different ways to think [and] use the technology we have to overcome those complexities,” Jonathan Rigaud, head of Airbus’ Optimate demonstrator project, told Euronews Next at VivaTech in Paris.
Optimate is a test project for smart automation technologies, using tools such as artificial intelligence, quantum sensing and data fusion, according to the company.
