Historically, augmented reality (AR) has opened up possibilities within the industry, especially around training and inspection. As the technology becomes more refined, its use cases evolve symbiotically. Recently, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines shared how they are using Apple’s Vision Pro to elevate technical maintenance and training.
In 2023, Apple debuted the Apple Vision Pro, “a revolutionary spatial computer that seamlessly blends digital content with the physical world.” With AR, users can overlay digital information and interactive elements onto their surroundings while virtual reality (VR) offers users a fully simulated and immersive digital experience.
Its debut restarted excitement around the potential use cases of extended reality (XR) across industries. This month, Apple showcased how KLM Royal Dutch Airlines is using the Vision Pro. The airline’s Engine Shop app allows technicians to see a step by step breakdown of the task ahead of them with detailed instructions overlayed on an accurate 3D model of the exact engine.
Bob Tulleken, Vice President of Operations Decision Support, KLM said:
“We see Apple Vision Pro as a tremendous value-add that will improve our fleet availability and operations […] Training our employees with spatial computing will lead to fewer costly errors because the most current information they need to do their job is there in front of them as they perform the task. This means we not only get vastly more efficient in our work, but also provide a better work environment for our employees to succeed.”
Apple shared this short video demonstrating how the airline is leveraging spatial computing for technical maintenance. Video credit: Apple.
The Apple Vision Pro may have re-ignited excitement around XR but the aviation industry has been leveraging immersive technologies that merge the physical and virtual worlds in a multitude of ways for some years. As the technology evolves, it will open doors to more applications across the industry giving way to transformative advancements.