Aviation Technology Trends for 2021

(Photo : Aviation Technology Trends for 2021)

2020 was a challenging year for nearly all companies and industries, and aviation and the airline industries were certainly no exception. However, as we're now in the midst of 2021, there are likely to be some exciting developments as far as aviation manufacturing and technology, as well as in the airline industry. 

The following are some things to know looking forward. 

Space Trips

It's possible that the first space trips for travelers could take place in 2021. Richard Branson is going to be introducing commercial suborbital rides through his company, Virgin Galactic. 

The company told investors that its spacecraft would take Branson from New Mexico in the first quarter of the year. Then, the plan, based on what the company has reported to investors, is that a group of around 600 customers will be next. Each of the customers has paid as much as $250,000 a ticket. 

Jeff Bezos has similarly announced the development of the New Shepard reusable rocket for suborbital rides. 

The company performed a seventh test flight from Texas in October of 2020. They are reportedly going to do several more test flights before any people fly on the spacecraft. 

Then, not to be outdone in the world of space-related technology, Elon Musk's company Space Exploration Technologies is planning to take a four-person private crew to the International Space Station. The Axiom Mission 1 is being arranged under an agreement with NASA. 

The crew will include the second Israeli in space, the second-oldest person to launch into space, and the first former NASA astronaut who will return to the International Space Station. 

The Axiom 1 mission, based on current timelines, may launch as soon as January 2022. 

The AX-1 mission will be the first in a series of flights to the space station. There are rumors that one of those flights could include Tom Cruise, as well as director Doug Liman. 

It will be the first completely private crewed mission into Earth orbit. 

The Decline of the Widebody

On a less innovative note, but no less relevant in aviation technology, the widebody jet design is on the decline in a big way. Instead, the interest now is geared toward smaller jetliners. 

As far as twin-aisle aircraft from the likes of Airbus and Boeing, the demand is dismal. 

Sales weren't great before the pandemic, and now there is going to be a surplus supply of used models for years to come, meaning demand for new widebody planes is going to take a massive hit. 

Airbus and Boeing have been retiring their larger planes at high rates, coupled with the lack of demand for new orders for these bigger planes. 

ZerO Emissions 

Could the ZerO plane and others like it represent the future of aviation design? It's possible. 

The HerO ZerO Emissions Plane was developed by Joe Doucet, and it's since been nicknamed the "Tesla of the Skies." The plane has a decidedly futuristic design, and it's electric and zero-emissions. 

It's only a concept right now, but with the way we're barreling toward an electric future, it might not be such an abstract idea. 

The idea behind the concept, at least as it stands now, is that the plane and others like it will use electric generators and batteries as the complete power sources, including to power the three propellers that would be rear-mounted. 

Another interesting design concept that has been floated around is Victor Uribe's A350h Airliner. Its shape is inspired by a dolphin, and it's meant for vertical takeoff and landing. It would then eliminate the need for long runways. 

The designer says it's also an eco-friendly plane powered by cryogenic hydrogen, stored in high-pressure tanks. 

Another interesting plane that's just in the concept phase is the SeaSTOL VLJ, which stands for Short Take and Landing Very Light Jet. It's a seaplane, according to the designer. 

It would be able to travel at the same distance and altitude as a light jet aircraft, yet like a traditional seaplane, would still be able to land on water. 

Designed by John McGinnis, there's the Synergy Aircraft that uses only 10% of the fuel of a regular plane of the same size. It's a small plane, but it has an eye-catching futuristic design.

Sustainability, in general, is a big trend right now. At the start of 2020, Delta said they were committing $1 billion over the next decade to reduce emissions from its global business. 

New fuel advances, including hydrogen, are starting to enter the market, and Airbus last year introduced three concepts with hydrogen as the main power source.  

Biometrics

Outside of the futuristic design of planes themselves, the entire travel and airline industry will likely see big changes and advances in technology related to the pandemic. 

For example, a lot of airlines have already started rolling out biometric identity technology to avoid face-to-face interactions. 

Spirit Airlines introduced biometric check-in at U.S. airports, while Emirates similarly now has a biometric path at Dubai International Airport. 

At Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport, there is now biometric boarding for all international departures. 

Automation and Robots

You may have already seen robots seemingly taking over some terminals. In 2020, new robots were deployed at airports around the world to disinfect. The airports had robots with ultraviolet light technology as well as floor-scrubbing. 

At Incheon International Airport, robots were doing automatic body temperature scans. 

The use of robots and machine learning aren't just being used at airports; they're being used in-flight as well. For example, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines introduced a robot to produce meals for economy class passengers, and Etihad is trying out machine learning to reduce food waste on its flights. 

From the design of planes themselves to the air travel experience, despite the headwinds of the coronavirus pandemic, there's likely to be a lot of exciting innovation coming down the pipe. Plane designs will be smaller, sleeker and more efficient, and the way we experience travel will be more automated and streamlined.