The aerospace sector is undergoing a profound metamorphosis driven by the digital tsunami. This transformation penetrates the very core of the industry, altering not only the construction and operation of aircraft but also reshaping the DNA of every company within the aeronautical ecosystem.
Where analogue processes once prevailed, a torrent of data now flows, driving every decision, action, and innovation.
Companies in the sector are undergoing comprehensive modernisation across all areas of their operations. The adoption of next-generation enterprise management platforms enables the integration of previously fragmented processes—from commercial and financial management to human resources and strategic planning.
These systems form the digital backbone that accelerates decision-making, optimises resources, and boosts profitability. New integrated digital environments transform day-to-day management into a coordinated and efficient data flow, allowing organisations to respond swiftly to market challenges.
This administrative revolution lays the groundwork for technological modernisation in aircraft manufacturing. Additive manufacturing sculpts components that were previously impossible to produce, reducing weight and enhancing performance. Digital twins—exact virtual replicas of each aircraft—enable simulation and optimisation of performance before a single component is physically produced.
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are revolutionising predictive maintenance by anticipating faults and minimising costly downtimes. This convergence of digital management and intelligent manufacturing is redefining the boundaries of what is possible in the aerospace industry.
Examples of digital transformation
The journey towards digital transformation is also reshaping aviation's ground operations. Naviair, the public enterprise responsible for air traffic control in Denmark, Greenland, and the Faroe Islands, exemplifies this shift.
The organisation, which manages hundreds of daily flights across Nordic airspace, faced the challenge of a fragmented and outdated digital infrastructure that hindered the management of its 600 employees.
The solution came through SAP Fiori and its centralised Launchpad, implemented by 2BM, a leading Danish digital strategy firm and member of United VARs. This flexible, customisable platform streamlined internal processes: authorisation times plummeted by 90%, while human resources management—from time tracking to approval workflows—became seamless and intuitive.
“We had a very successful experience. We went from something old and tedious to something genuinely pleasant. And the journey to get there wasn’t difficult,” said Jesper Stibolt Holmgaard, the company’s systems administrator.
This transformation, implemented in September 2022, marks just the beginning of Naviair's continuous modernisation journey.
A similar case is seen with RCCAC, a Chinese company specialising in the development, manufacturing, and support of avionics systems. RCCAC turned to SAP Business ByDesign to upgrade its finance module, which generated inaccurate data, unnecessary workloads, and lacked integration with the systems of its foreign shareholders.
With support from Acloudear, a tech company and United VARs member, the project was managed from inception to deployment. The new platform enabled RCCAC to integrate financial data, eliminating information silos and offering real-time visibility.
The company also achieved more accurate cost accounting for contracts and maintenance, while optimising inventory management and reducing warehouse and supply labour. “Although the project’s core is finance, it also involved the supply chain and manufacturing,” said Wenli LV, the company’s Finance Manager.
Technology for a greener sky
Sustainability is also at the heart of this digital transformation. Advanced data analysis and artificial intelligence technologies optimise flight routes, reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions.
Additive manufacturing not only reduces component weight but also minimises material waste in production processes. Furthermore, energy management systems in airports are adopting IoT-based solutions to reduce resource usage and maximise operational efficiency.
These advancements are steering the sector towards a more environmentally friendly model, aligning with global sustainability goals.
The future of the sky is digital but also green. In this new paradigm, data not only connects businesses to a faster and more dynamic future but also holds the key to building a more sustainable aviation industry.
In this technological revolution, the sky is not the limit but the starting point of a new era where innovation and sustainability soar together.
stronger than one