With the introduction of a commercial Google Glass (Glass) for Enterprise device, the Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA) has taken the opportunity to conduct a proof of concept demonstration for aviation maintenance activities using a heads up display (HUD) as part of the FAA Innovation Strategy.

The demonstration was conducted in partnership with Dialog Information Technology (a Google Partner), Defence’s Chief Information Officer Group, and the FAA.

Navy and Dialog are assessing a proposal to conduct a second phase of testing

Commander FAA Commodore Chris Smallhorn said the hands free, wearable HUD technology has the potential to improve maintenance task efficiency and safety.

“The technology enables video conferencing with supervisors from the actual location of the maintenance being conducted and enables a maintainer to have both hands free to conduct maintenance tasks, often at height and in difficult to access locations.”

CDRE Smallhorn said it is imperative the RAN, as one of the world’s most capable navies, stays at the forefront of technology and leads the way in researching the best and safest way to deliver maintenance efficiencies.

“We are committed to be innovative and agile in our operations; we're are at the beginning of the program and it is promising,” he said.

Glass utilises a number of Google Cloud Platform Application Programming Interfaces specifically tailored to meet Defence needs to store and retrieve unclassified digital information via a Wi-Fi system and purpose built application on a tablet. The test included the AS350BA Squirrel helicopter planned servicing schedule, to support the Before Flight Inspection (BFI) by allowing hands-free access to instruction material and checklists.

“Glass demonstrated the ability for the user to instantly capture voice and video to show the status of maintenance activities, allowing the technician and supervisor to review the progress and outcomes of the inspections on location, remotely and in real time,” Dialog Information Technology national practice lead Daniel Milford said. The integrated tablet app also provided the Trade Supervisor/Maintenance Manager (TS/MM) with the ability to monitor multiple inspections at one time and interrogate checklists, enhancing their situational awareness. Milford added the Glass ‘back end’ demonstrated a capability to extend existing aircraft Health and Usage Monitoring Systems (HUMS) to provide more information to aircraft maintainers and their supervisors.

Navy and Dialog are assessing a proposal to conduct a second phase of testing, which will involve more complex maintenance activities on the AS350BA using the wearable HUD. In related news, Microsoft and IFS Labs have also been developing their version of the technology based upon the Microsoft HoloLens and IFS enterprise software solution IFS Applications.