Equipping machines with the ability to gather and communicate data is fast becoming the status quo for a growing number of industries. It has already proven a revolution in enabling completely new business models (read more here), as well as providing important advances in terms of reporting on maintenance needs and other crucial production-related functionalities.
But it doesn’t stop there – not even close. The transporting sector, for instance, sees a fantastic potential for cutting costs and making procedures in general more efficient. The thing with this sector, of course, is that it’s mind-bogglingly big, and just fractional differences for the average A-to-B movement will have an enormous effect when scaled.
When taken to the field of air travel, it becomes extra evident what kind of winnings are there for the taking. Microsoft, who’s collaborating extensively with Rolls-Royce, reveals hard facts: ”Today’s engines have hundreds of sensors and signals that transmit gigabytes of data for each flight. With more than 85 airlines flying planes equipped with Rolls-Royce’s Trent engines, the company monitors 50,000 flights a month, or 14 million flight hours every year. […] A recent PricewaterhouseCoopers report estimates digital tools in aircraft maintenance could save more than $100 million a year for a large carrier with a fleet of about 500 planes.”
Broken down to even a single aeroplane, just cutting 1 percent of fuel usage can cut costs by $250,000. With that kind of incentive, it’s fair to assume that it won’t be long until un-connected commercial transportation will be the exception, not the other way around.
So now […] it’s time for the next evolution in service, moving beyond the current model that monitors engine health to head off potential problems, to one that will proactively help the airlines use their equipment more efficiently.
– Alex Dulewicz, Rolls-Royce Head of Service Marketing