Commercial airline company Boeing has announced a partnership with Microsoft to store aviation data in Azure — a cloud platform created by Microsoft.
On July 18, the two companies announced that Microsoft will start transitioning Boeing's extensive portfolio of digital solutions to Azure, which will help the airline company address various business challenges.
"Boeing is working together with Microsoft, a leader in the technology space, to bring innovative operational efficiency solutions to global aviation customers," says Andrew Gendreau, the director of advanced information solutions in Boeing's Digital Aviation division. "Boeing brings in their deep subject matter expertise, complimented by Microsoft's deep technical expertise, and together we'll be bringing new, innovative customer solutions to market."
The announcement suggests that the partnership will enable additional integration between machines and humans to leverage business operations. The collaboration intends to enhance various aspects of aviation such as predictive aircraft maintenance, airline systems, fuel optimization as well as the overall passenger experience.
Greg Jones, the global industry director for travel at Microsoft, says that the latest partnership between Microsoft and Boeing will result in advanced analytics, which will help pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and more.
Jones added that the aviation industry is experiencing an explosion of data and a lot of transformation is occurring in the sector. Airline operators want better access to information, thus eliminating operating inefficiencies.
A Microsoft spokesperson says that Azure will help Boeing analyze large sets of data received from multiple sources with ease. The Cortana Intelligence Suite can also help airline operators effectively manage inventory and efficiently schedule pilots and cabin crews.
The shift to Azure cloud computing is part of Boeing's long-term ambition to grow its military and commercial services business to about $50 billion in yearly revenue by 2025, which is a massive growth in comparison to the current estimated $15 billion revenue.
The company's shift to cloud computing also points to the increasing role of internet connectivity aboard commercial aircraft. Boeing envisages a suite of applications, which would improve efficiency of aircraft in real time by reducing fuel consumption by about 10 percent.
The airline company has already started rolling out cloud-based software via AerData — Boeing's subsidiary based in Amsterdam. AerData is responsible for managing various records related to airplanes, lessor maintenance and more for Boeing.
A more connected systems operating also means companies will be worried about the security of their data in the cloud. Both Microsoft and Boeing are aware of the risk presented by hackers, so the companies will have to make sure security is given key attention in their system designs.
Photo: Robert Scoble | Flickr
