Tech

Emirates’ first retired A380 to be repurposed in the UAE

world’s largest passenger airline, Airbus A380 made a rare landing in Sri Lanka

Signs contract with UAE-based specialist Falcon Aircraft Recycling to save most of its retired aircraft from landfill via a pioneering upcycling and recycling programme
Iconic 1^st generation A380 onboard bar and other cabin features to be transformed into bespoke furniture, plus a range of aviation memorabilia and retail items which will be released for sale in the coming months
Portion of sale profits to benefit the Emirates Airline Foundation, the airline’s charity organisation focussed on helping disadvantaged children around the world

Dubai, UAE, 01 November 2021 – Emirates has signed a contract with UAE-based Falcon Aircraft Recycling on a pioneering initiative, where its first retired A380 aircraft will be upcycled and recycled, dramatically reducing the environmental impact of the deconstruction process and drastically reducing landfill waste.

The extensive materials recovery and repurposing activities will be entirely conducted in the UAE, the airline’s home base, further reducing the project’s environmental footprint.

Increasingly, retired aircraft are flown to remote locations and left to languish after being stripped for parts. Traditional salvage and recycling projects focus on recovering only profitable components, thereby leaving behind a substantial portion of the aircraft and materials that go into landfill or sit idle indefinitely for years. Also, many aircraft items can be difficult to recycle or dispose, for instance fire retardant fabrics and composite materials.

After completing its last commercial mission, A6-EDA, the first A380 ever delivered to Emirates, was retired from service and brought to the airline’s Engineering Centre where Emirates engineers retrieved serviceable components such as engines, landing gears and flight control components. The aircraft was then deregistered and handed over to the Falcon Aircraft Recycling team to begin the process of carefully breaking down the aircraft.

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Partnering with Wings Craft, another UAE-based firm that specialises in producing custom furniture and merchandise from aircraft materials, Falcon Aircraft Recycling will design and manufacture unique collectibles and retail items from the materials and parts removed from the aircraft. These items will be launched for sale in phases over the coming months.

Emirates To Take Final Airbus A380 Delivery In November 2021

A portion of profits from the sale of all items upcycled and recycled from Emirates’ first retired A380 will benefit the Emirates Airline Foundation.

Emirates’ first A380, previously operating as A6-EDA, was retired after an illustrious service record.

Here are some of its service highlights:

Delivered from Airbus’ Hamburg facility on: 28 July 2008
First commercial flight: Dubai-New York JFK on 01 August 2008
Last commercial flight: Singapore-Dubai on 08 March 2020
Total number of flights: 6,319
Airports visited: 62

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About Falcon Aircraft Recycling

Founded in 2013, Falcon Aircraft Recycling is the first fully accredited aircraft recycling operation in the UAE with deconstruction programmes at Dubai Industrial City and Fujairah International Airports. Working closely with Airport Management and Civil Aviation, Falcon Aircraft Recycling provides cost effective and environmentally friendly end-of-life solution to the ongoing problem of retired aircraft. For more information on the business and its projects visit: www.falconaircraftrecycling.com

Tech

Scientists Create Drone with Fiber Optic “Nervous System” for Smarter Flight

Technology is advancing rapidly, with scientists constantly pushing boundaries. Now, researchers from Southampton have developed a unique drone equipped with its own “nervous system.”

This breakthrough allows the drone to process information and respond to its surroundings more like a living creature, making it faster and more adaptable than ever before.

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Scientists at the University of Southampton have pioneered a groundbreaking development in drone technology by equipping a drone with its very own “nervous system.” This innovative system, made of fiber optics, enables the drone to function with greater autonomy and efficiency.

Unlike traditional drones, this technology allows the drone to operate for longer periods without needing frequent stops for manual inspections, drastically improving its operational capabilities.

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Developed by Dr. Chris Holmes and Dr. Martynas Beresna from Southampton’s Optoelectronics Research Centre, the drone’s “nervous system” works by using optical fibers to monitor its condition in real-time.

These fibers detect stress and potential faults, sending data back to the ground team, allowing them to spot issues without interrupting the drone’s flight. The system uses a process called optical speckle, which projects images to assess the drone’s status, all while being supported by AI algorithms that interpret these signals for the ground crew.

Initially designed to deliver life-saving equipment like defibrillators in emergencies, this technology has shown promise in enhancing the drone’s longevity and reducing the need for extensive ground crew involvement.

This is especially crucial as the drone industry is projected to contribute up to £45 billion to the global economy by 2030, particularly in sectors like logistics and transportation. The University of Southampton’s team believes that the new system will revolutionize drone operations, making them more reliable, safer, and cost-effective for commercial use.

The technology, which has already been successfully tested on a drone developed by university undergraduates, is set to be commercialized by 2025, with the university’s Future Worlds acceleration programme providing vital support for its development.