Augmented Reality (AR) to support and instruct Aircraft Maintenance Operations

Abstract

In a constantly evolving industry such as aviation, introducing new technologies is crucial to maintaining competitiveness and efficiency. This thesis explores the integration of Augmented Reality (AR) into aircraft maintenance operations, focusing on their potential to improve time efficiency and safety. This sector is characterised by strict regulation lines and a commitment to operational safety. However, it often faces difficulties in the fast adoption of new technologies as Augmented Reality. For example, some aicraft incident's root causes are due to maintenance programme inefficiencies, which are connected to the lack of knowledge or misguided training. This thesis addresses challenges by presenting a robust framework for the implementation of AR systems under the aircraft maintenance regulations of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). It emphasises the need for ongoing education and training programmes for maintenance technicians, highlighting the inadequacy of traditional methods and the need to explore innovative approaches such as AR and VR. This research focuses on the development of a physical AR product, SkyInspectAR, which is adapted to specific landing gear model, ensuring correspondence with the current market needs. The thesis also includes an updated market analysis, detailing the strengths and weakness of the developed solution, describing the final output and main challenges to guarantee its implementation. This thesis aims to provide a futuristic yet practical vision for the aviation sector, demonstrating how AR can be effectively integrated to maintain high standards of safety and operational time efficiency.