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A Brief Review on IoT, its Applications, Challenges & Future Aspects in Aviation
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www.ijcspub.org © 2022 IJCSPUB | Volume 12, Issue 2 June 2022 | ISSN: 2250-1770

A Brief Review on IoT, its Applications, Challenges

& Future Aspects in Aviation Industry
R.Kaushik, Dr. A.K Thakur

Abstract. The following review deals with how the internet of things or more precisely known as IoT has made its mark in the
Aviation industry by making air travelling a smart process to be a part of. The aviation industry as we know it has undergone a series
of transformation over the past few decades and with the digitalization it has opened a wide new horizon for new challenges that can
be handled in a smarter way. Just as we see how all the paper work has been taken over by computers, new algorithms taking over
mental work, programming…etc. these all applications have made life easier than ever, and in every industry out there. In particular,
aviation sector is the largest growing sector globally, it has its roots reaching to every end of the world through its services like cargo,
passenger travel, defense and so on. In order to ensure that everything starting from maintenance, customer service, ticketing to
passenger experience there is needed to be a clear flow in the way things are done. This is where IoT comes in to the picture, as it
helps in smart analysis and execution of services for better customer experience and revenue generation. Through this review we will
get an understanding as how IoT plays an important role in aviation industry, what challenges are faced and its applications.

Keywords Aviation, Aircraft control, Customer service, Cyber risks, Internet, IoT, PHM, RFID, Satellite, SIoT
1 Introduction
In the present scenario, there can be seen a dramatic change in how industrial world used to work, with rise in demand to
diminishing economies. Nowadays, internet has become a way of living. From production to marketing, studying to
getting jobs, travelling to working, everything is there on internet just a click away. For a layman, internet can be a way
of receiving and sending information, but this is not all, internet is a massive network which connects the world from one
point to another. Making complex tasks easier to improve customer satisfaction and generating profiting revenue is also
a purpose which internet serves. Today’s world is piling up with increasing demands, opportunities and with this comes
bigger issues like how to make a task easy to do in an effective way. Due to increase in population and development in
technology there is a high rise in demand for air transportation for international trade, jobs, tourism, economic upgradation
at a global platform. Internet of Things has made a mark in making the concept of smart machining and devices work at
a global level by combining with AI, Machine learning, Data handling software and more. IoT ideates of an outlook where
both cybernated and physical world can be linked to provide a whole new collection of services and applications to match
the fast pace of the growing world [1]. Handling of physical objects by command or designing them to communicate and
providing customized service is the basic purpose of IoT. For IoT to works there are several requirements like sensors,
embedded software, electrical components, network connecting components (wifi, Bluetooth, internet..etc). the purpose
of sensor in a device is mostly for acquiring the information about its surrounding or other devices which are connected
to fulfil a task, while embedded software help in smooth execution of work with command or making a device work in a
smarter way, electrical components work just like the nervous system in a human body. To get an advantage from IoT,
all these components along with a firm decision making ability are the key prospects. The aviation industry is known for
its high revenue and service generation. There are numerous applications of IoA (Internet -of Aviation) in the aviation
sector which comprise of providing high class & smart services to crew and customers, security, ease of operation,
reducing human interference, aircraft control & maintenance, air traffic control, passenger baggage tracking and many
others [2].

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2 Applications of IoT in Aviation Industry
2.1 Tourism
Air travelling generates the highest revenue which plays a crucial role in a country’s economic and cultural development.
There are various stake holders which are benefitted in this field. These stake holders are dominantly a country’s
government, host government, commercial aviation companies and most importantly the end users or tourists. The success
of travel solely depends up to the customer experience and the service provider, the higher the quality of service the higher
the customer satisfaction which results in higher profits. For making such trips a success, use of smart servicing like
provision of customized devices, comforting environment are provided to a customer while his/her travel in an airplane.
These services mostly include temperature control devices, entertainment & recreation devices like tablets, smart seats
which work by communicating with the customer through sensors and other components, GPS, baggage tracking systems
etc. such services make the travel safe as well as comfortable for the user. IoT has revolutionized the industry of aviation
in the past decade and is still continuing to do so [3].
2.2 The IoF (Internet of Flights)
A number of new advancements have taken place in the aviation industry concerning the IoT. Various aircrafts are now
coming equipped with sensors and other smart devices installed on their parts like wings. Various airlines are coming up
with new technology to meet growing requirements like in flight communication, maintenance, cabin crew weather
control, weather forecasting, flight tracking and other management related services. These devices help the pilots to fly
and reach the destination on time and with safety. The information is gathered in real time mode to ensure its authenticity
which aides in better provision of services and high performance. Companies like Honeywell have utilized IoT for
reducing their fuel cost by 5% per single Flight. Furthermore, the pilot receives information about wind direction, weather
and temperature which significantly ameliorates aircraft performance. Moreover, Wind River which is a software
company has become a world -wide leader in the field of embedded software which has made it possible to reduce the
overall cost of operation in commercialized aviation by using real-time data devices for managing flights [4].

Figure 1 Depiction of the areas of usage of Internet of Things in Airlines [3]

The above pie chart illustrates the different areas of an airline industry where internet of things is used and how much
percentage it shares. IoT is used extensively in monitoring fuel usage, engine performance, luggage & passenger safety,
navigation and communication, maintenance and security.
2.3 Smart Airports
It can be observed that the aviation industry majorly relies on the presence of high-quality standards when it comes to
customer service. This also plays an important role in customer loyalty and profits. IoT has played a key-role in amplifying
quality of operations with high efficiency, generating more profits along with promoting customer loyalty by its strategical
servicing [5]. The use of internet for controlling objects and other devices at airports as well as within the aircrafts has
made the concept of smart airports possible. In addition to this, RFID or Radio Frequency Identification has emerged as
a promising technology in aviation sector. This tech is based upon the working of electromagnetic fields which helps in
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tracing and identifying objects/devices automatically but placing traceable tags. This system aids in baggage & cargo
tracking. This not only saves time but also improves quality of handling of luggage.

Figure 2 Components of RFID [6]

The above illustration shows how different components of RFID serves its purpose. As mentioned above, there are tags
which are attached to luggage/cargo or other to be tracked object/s, there are two variants of such tags. These are active
and passive RFID tags. The active tags consist of an on-board battery and data storage capacity. These tags transmit their
location/ ID to the radio frequency identification reader on periodic basis. The transmission can take place at different
frequencies depending on the band. While the passive tags do not have any battery, instead they use radio energy which
the reader transmits as the source of energy [6]. Moreover, through a research on airport customer service which took
place in Queen Alia International Airport, Jordan, its was found that one of the most concerned about thing on an airport
is its security. With the help of IoT, the quality and effectiveness of security has improved a lot [7].
2.4 Aircraft control & maintenance
Modern aircrafts are constituted of a number of complex systems and devices, which are not only hard to maintain but to
keep a track of as well. The designing, controlling and maintenance of such complex system is a very hectic task to pull
off. There can be various issues like faulty equipment, repairing and replacing damaged parts…etc which increases the
cost of security which results in reduction of profits as well as performance. In order to curb these issues, the Aircraft -
Autonomous -Support (AAS) which in combination with IoT is used [8]. IoT works through sensors, radio frequency
identification, GPS, infrared sensors, and other sensing devices which help in transferring and receiving information using
internet, WiFi, and other networking systems [9]. Another useful technology is the PHM or Prognostic and Health
management which enhances the fault detection ability of an aircraft. As per the statistical reports it has been discovered
that the failures occurring in the aircraft fuel system, instability, fuel leakage & shortage…etc have a direct effect on an
aircraft’s overall health & performance, safety and airworthiness. Therefore, it becomes extremely crucial to built a system
which monitors the health of an aircraft by analyzing and diagnosing the faults and issues to prevent any catastrophic
events. The PHM system ensures and improves the safety, reliability, performance as well as maneuverability of an
aircraft. This results in smart maintenance of an aircraft fuel system, its other components and reduces the burden on pilots
[10].
2.5 Navigation
Internet of Things has come a long way in the field of aviation. From above mentioned applications of IoT it can be
inferred that it has now become an integral part of an aircraft system. Aircrafts are designed to reach destination/target
and fulfilling missions, for which an effective navigation is the key. For an aircraft’s mission successful real-time
information of weather, air traffic, enemy tracking and other useful information is crucial. The SIoT or satellite based IoT
is the next level of smart navigation, as it ameliorates the capabilities of IoT to reach a new level. The satellites are situated
at much higher altitudes/ deep space in simpler terms far above the reach of an aircraft, therefore it becomes much more
convenient to keeps track of an aircraft while ensuring high quality navigation. These are mostly used to track an enemy
aircraft, space missions and warcraft. Furthermore, satellite -based navigations are of great help to pilots in the phase of
low visibility and bad weather because of high accuracy. SIoT plays an important role whenever an aircraft faces
navigation failure, deviation from routes/targets/destination. To ensure the efficient working of SIoT, there must be
sufficient power and high bandwidth frequencies [11].

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3 Challenges faced at global level
There is no success where there are no challenges. Although there are numerous benefits of digitalization like ease of use,
reduction in human interference, time required is very less, high accuracy, real time information and many more. With
advancements there also come challenges which are required to be handled with strategical analysis. Aviation is regarded
as a highly competent sector, which relies on high quality services, efficient maintenance and management [12]. The
insertion of ICT tools in hardware objects and mechanical devices used in aviation sector has proposed several cyber-
security related issues. These concerns have heightened with the new concepts of smart aviation like electricity driven
aircrafts, Smart airports…etc [13]. In the recent years, aviation industry has witnessed numerous groundbreaking
advancements by joining hands with IoT, and predominantly in commercial aviation. However, IoT has backed aviation
sector in different aspects for easing the complexities and other shortcomings, but it has also made it prone to various
cyber risks. There are still some drawbacks of digitalization that cannot be ignored. Furthermore, there are cyber risks
that can cause huge losses, data theft, hacking, illegal use of information for terrorist activities and other cyber-attacks.
Here some of the cyber-risks involved:
i. Hidden attack: in this case a random IP addresses are sent by the attacker in large quantities which causes a
ruckus in the data operation center. It becomes difficult to differentiate between the legitimate and illegitimate
IPs, since the data operation center is not capable of doing so.
ii. Mirroring attack: it is a case where the victim’s IP address is shared with random unknown sources. It is a
situation of serious concern, as the victim’s information is share illegally.
iii. Imitation attack: here, a legitimate user’s identity is illegally used by the attacker by using his/her IP address
and portraying themselves in their place. If there, is no proper detection, this attack can cause grave damage both
to the victim and the company.
iv. Physical risks: IoT involves hardware systems, thus, in case of any malfunction like power glitch, over-
heating,…etc, the object might harm the user which cannot be controlled by IoT.
v. Software/ Network security risks: there are in proper software upgradations of IoT applications, which put it at
a great software security risk. Illegal/illegitimate modifications or corruption of software can put various clients
at risk, and specially those dependent upon a particular API (Application Programming Interface). Furthermore,
the IoT devices use internet for their connectivity to other devices, this can cause bandwidth corruption leading
to communication loss, losses in data, technical errors and other failures [14].
4 Future aspects of IoT in Aviation
The internet of things has become a hot top around the globe with its wide variety of applications. It is being accepted by
various nations and industries as a mark of industry 4.0. while China as one of the leading nations to have developed IoT
to a significant level. IoT tech is not as easy as it seems to be, it requires complex set-ups and intricate architecture for
smooth, efficient and accurate working. There have been numerous propositions about upgrading IoT, so as to minimize
the distance between digital & physical entities [15]. It is speculated that the upcoming generation of IoT will be a
combination of Unit & Ubiquitous IoTs. Unit-IoT is mostly used for specified applications. Whereas the Ubiquitous IoT
is used as a global internet of things. The combined architecture of these two will be a unique blend and will lead to
another industrial revolution [16]. Aviation industry is still under transformation, adapting to the cyber-physical trends.
From manufacturing to take-off / Landing and maintenance, the influence of IoT can be seen at every step. This evolution
from using old aviation methodologies to ‘A 4.0’ (Aviation 4.0) is not a child’s play. The significance of data in aviation
industry is unquestionable due to its vastness. The data received, used and transferred has increases with the number of
connected devices. And such huge quantities of data cannot be merely handled through conventional methods. Therefore,
datalinks which is a type of data communication, is used for smooth flow of information between on-air aircraft and
ground stations. SATCOM, AeroMACS, LDACS, VDL M2 are some of the datalink variants used in aviation sector as
per present reports.

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Figure 3 Domineering aspects of IoT in Aviation Industry [17]

The above image covers the different innovative advancement that are believed to be taking place in the upcoming aviation
industry 4.0. in the upcoming decade, there is concrete possibility of complete digitalization and smart aviation. The
amount of operational data accumulated along with its variegation are expected to increase exponentially. Highly
advanced technological developments in addition with integrated IT support systems will enable real-time data handling
and analysis with trailblazing precision . IoT is not enhancing the efficacy of technology in aviation but also customer
experience. In a study conducted in 2018 has revealed the customer requirements in in-flight operations. The results have
shown that the maximum number of passenger demand high network connectivity during long flights, more comfortable
environment, recreation assets, luggage & flight tracking options, ease of ticket booking /cancellation etc. based on such
requirements the future of aviation industry with the amalgamation of cybernated services is more likely to be on the
bright side [17].
Acknowledgements
We acknowledge Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab, India
Conclusion
It is herein summarized that Internet of Things or more precisely called IoT, is an impeccable tool for revolutionizing our
industries mainly the aviation sector. As already stated, aviation sector is much more prone to innovations and
technological advancements, use of IoT has made it even more avant-garde. The internet of things aids in making the
devices to work with more efficiency and accuracy. There have also been various additions to IoT for using it in a more
flexible manner. IoT has resulted in reduction of operational cost, maintenance difficulties in aircrafts by handling
complex systems, it also provides information in real time which has helped plots in a long run. IoT has not only
accelerated technological growth but also resulted in higher revenues, profits and customer satisfaction. There is much
that can be added to IoT for taking its advantages to a higher level.
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