Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) holds the key to a cleaner and more sustainable future for air travel. It is derived from renewable resources such as agricultural waste, algae, and even municipal solid waste. SAF can mitigate the reliance on finite fossil fuel reserves and enhance energy security. As stakeholders across the aviation sector continue to collaborate and innovate, the dream of sustainable aviation may soon become a reality. Full article.

Qatar Airways is continuously enhancing the customer experience for all visitors with the goal to improve the inclusivity. They have launched a project with NineSigma to find AR/VR realistic immersive simulations of airplane scenarios to help children with autism and reduce their fear, based on customizable scenarios and experiences controlled by a therapist. Full article.

Baggage handling is an important aspect of air travel. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Schiphol Amsterdam Airport are constantly striving to reduce physical strain for baggage staff while boosting efficiency, from collaborative lifting robots and new transfer belts to autonomous baggage vehicles. This challenge sought proposals for fully automated baggage systems to advance that vision. More on NineSights.

Qatar Aircraft Catering Company (QACC), with QRDI, sought technologies to automate the segregation of approximately 2,000 tons per month of airline catering offloads: plastics, paper, cardboard, aseptic beverage cartons, and aluminum, to reduce landfill and move toward zero landfill by 2030. Solutions must identify and sort waste on existing conveyors using AI and robotics, with a manual mode fallback. More on NineSights.

NineSigma has supported MATAR (Hamad International Airport) and the QRDI Council to source technologies for an interactive digital signpost that integrates with MATAR’s AI smart platform, delivering real-time, personalized wayfinding and passenger information. More on NineSights.

NineSigma, on behalf of a global manufacturer, sought partners to develop high-efficiency, low-noise fans for eVTOL/UAM. Target specs included rotor diameters of 0.5-4 m, a figure of merit ≥ 0.75, and about 60–70 dB at 150 m, with multi-rotor configurations and safety measures to limit harm from rotor breakage or contact. More on NineSights.