The airline industry continues to be transformed by inventions that make flying safer and more comfortable than ever. While passengers today enjoy in-flight conveniences like seatback entertainment systems, the inventions being worked on right now could make flying even more luxurious and fun. These upcoming innovations have the potential to revolutionize the way people will travel in the near future.
Just as driverless cars may soon become a reality, so could unmanned, pilotless domestic and international flights. Tests are already underway in places like Dubai to see if planes can be safely flown from one location to another with automation technology rather than human pilots. Further, Boeing has acquired a firm that is leading the way in designing unmanned aircraft.
It remains to be seen if these automated flights will have at least one pilot on board for the sake of safety. However, the chances of unmanned flights becoming a reality are on the rise, which has the potential to significantly alter the way that people are accustomed to flying today.
If the cyborg beverage server becomes a reality, passengers will no longer have to wait for the flight attendants to serve their drinks. Instead, they will be served by a cyborg beverage waiter, which is essentially a robotic tray that will move up and down the aisle to serve drinks to travelers.
The one in the works right now does not have arms, however, which means people would still have to reach for and pass drinks to their seatmates. However, they do not have to clean up after themselves, as the robot would again move up and down the aisles to remove empty cups, napkins, and other garbage from the seating area.
The fear of being trapped in a germ-laden cabin prevents many people from flying as often as they would like. Their fears may soon be allayed thanks to germ-killing technology that is being perfected right now.
This germ-killing robot, dubbed GermFalcon, features ultraviolet light that kills bacteria and viruses from the surfaces of seats, doors, windows, and other parts of the aircraft. The robot has the ability to clean up to 54 seats in less than a minute.
The ultraviolet technology is better than any cleaning agent currently used by maintenance crews today. GermFalcon, if it comes to fruition, could alter the way that people fly by offering cleaner and safer cabins for passengers.
Another unique invention being worked on right now is the creation of window pane infotainment systems. This technology transforms window panes into infotainment systems that allow passengers to watch movies, shop, get stock quotes, read the news, order drinks, and otherwise entertain themselves during flights.
The window panes can be dimmed to allow passengers to see the clouds outside. These systems could soon replace the seatback entertainment devices used in most airliners today.
Wireless connectivity is becoming more commonplace in many airliners today. This connectivity allows people to browse the Internet and even text during flights. They do not have to use their own data to use their phones with wireless Internet that is now being offered by several airline companies today.
More airline companies are also offering streaming services for passengers to enjoy during flights. People can use their mobile devices to watch movies and TV shows. This wireless streaming could soon replace in-flight entertainment systems.
Finally, while perhaps not as luxurious as some of the other inventions in the works right now, in-flight gourmet cooking could soon become a reality for passengers. They no longer would have to order their meals before they board their flights.
They could soon order food that would be cooked for them on board the airliner. The in-flight gourmet cooking device comes with a hood to absorb cooking odors. The hood also has a lock that would prevent grease from flying around the cabin if the plane experiences turbulence. People may soon be able to order everything from eggs to made-to-order steaks during their travels.
These aviation inventions could revolutionize the way that people travel in the coming months and years. They could make flying more convenient, comfortable, and safer.
