The aerospace industry is rapidly embracing Extended Reality (XR) to address its complex challenges and improve efficiency. XR, an umbrella term encompassing Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual Reality (VR), is increasingly being used to enhance collaboration, design, and prototyping processes. With growing complexity in product development and increasing demand for efficiency, XR offers an immersive engineering solution that streamlines these workflows.
Top-of-Mind Pain Points in Aerospace Manufacturing
The aerospace industry faces several key challenges that hinder manufacturing efficiency, including complex models, the need for high iteration, and costly design and prototyping processes. XR addresses these issues by providing faster and more accurate results.
- Model Complexity: Aircraft manufacturing is inherently complex, involving intricate components and specifications. Traditional Two-Dimensional (2D) design methods fall short of the visualization and interaction requirements that the aerospace industry seeks. XR is a huge step forward as it offers a Three-Dimensional (3D), immersive view of vehicles, allowing teams to test anything from engine specifications to seating arrangements.
- High Iteration: In aerospace, even small mistakes can lead to costly delays, making rapid iteration essential. XR-enabled digital twins accelerate design and prototype reviews, enabling teams to make quicker adjustments and avoid rework.
- Design and Prototyping Costs: Traditional prototyping methods are expensive and laborious. By utilizing XR, aerospace companies can quickly prototype designs in virtual environments, saving material costs and reducing the time it takes to go from concept to final product.
XR Use Cases for Aerospace Companies
XR is being used in various ways throughout the aerospace industry to improve collaboration, review processes, and design creation. These immersive engineering capabilities are proving to be game-changers in how teams interact with aircraft models and designs.
Collaboration
XR is revolutionizing collaboration in the aerospace industry. Thanks to XR solutions, design and engineering teams can now work together in immersive environments, regardless of location. This ensures real-time feedback and interaction with 3D models among geographically dispersed teams. XR-based collaboration improves communication and fosters superior decision-making, especially when dealing with highly complex systems.
Review
With XR, aerospace companies can conduct design reviews with greater precision. Full-scale, spatially accurate 3D models allow engineers to identify issues in real time, which would otherwise require physical mock-ups.
As an example of this capability, aerospace operator Natilus leveraged Siemens’ Immersive Engineering solution with Sony’s XR Head-Mounted Display (HMD) to construct digital twins of components at the pre-production stage. Doing so resulted in time and cost savings compared to prototyping on 2D monitors.
Creation
XR is now also supporting the creation process, bridging the gap between traditional design software and immersive environments. By enabling engineers to design and interact with products at scale, XR facilitates a more natural creation process that leads to faster and more innovative aviation designs.
XR as a Must-Have Tool for Aerospace Companies
XR is quickly becoming an essential tool for aerospace companies to address complex design challenges, streamline collaboration, and reduce prototyping costs. This has been exemplified in Natilus’ use of Siemens’ Immersive Engineering solution, providing a previously unattainable level of collaboration and testing capabilities.
The ability to visualize, review, and create in immersive 3D environments not only improves accuracy of aircraft design, but also accelerates the entire product development process. For aerospace manufacturers looking to stay competitive, integrating XR into their workflows is no longer optional—it’s a strategic necessity to meet growing back orders and achieve the technical advancements that generate brand differentiation.
For ABI Research’s take on how aerospace companies should approach XR integration, explore the article “XR Deployment Best Practices for Aerospace Manufacturers.”
About the Author
Eric Abbruzzese, Research Director
Eric Abbruzzese, a Research Director at ABI Research, primarily leads research efforts in Augmented Reality (AR), Mixed Reality (MR), and Virtual Reality (VR). Coverage includes devices, content, platforms, and use cases across consumer and enterprise applications. Additional coverage areas include gaming, video, metaverse, and emerging technologies.
