Title

AWS re:Invent 2023 - Use Edge Computing to Easily Manage Software on Aircraft Fleets (AES207)

Summary

Joy Fosnaught, a principal solutions architect with AWS aerospace and satellite team, presented a solution for managing software updates on aircraft fleets using AWS Edge computing.
The talk covered the evolution of connected aircraft, operational challenges faced by customers, and the architecture developed by the AWS prototyping team.
The solution utilizes AWS IoT Core and AWS IoT Greengrass capabilities, along with a user-friendly dashboard for ground technicians.
The architecture allows for seamless over-the-air updates, even when aircraft lose connectivity, using MQTT protocol.
The demo showcased a custom dashboard for managing content and deployments, and the AWS console for tracking and managing Greengrass core devices and components.
Key takeaways include the availability of the connected aircraft architecture, Greengrass documentation, and a blog on using Amazon Forecast for SATCOM analytics.
Joy encouraged attendees to connect with her for further interest in the use case or the prototype.

The advancement of satellite communications (SATCOM) technology has been pivotal in enabling the connected aircraft experience, including in-flight Wi-Fi and real-time data analytics.
The current process of updating software on aircraft is cumbersome, involving physical SD cards and on-site maintenance technicians, which is costly and inefficient.
AWS's prototype solution aims to streamline this process by allowing updates to be pushed digitally and managed remotely, reducing the need for physical intervention and improving operational efficiency.
The use of AWS IoT Greengrass allows for custom software deployment on edge devices, which is crucial for aircraft that may lose connectivity during flights.
The introduction of a third-party catalog for Greengrass components indicates a growing ecosystem and potential for further innovation in edge computing solutions.
The session highlighted the importance of user-friendly interfaces for ground technicians, emphasizing the need for solutions that are not only technologically advanced but also accessible to non-technical staff.
The use of Amazon Forecast for predicting SATCOM bandwidth usage demonstrates the potential for machine learning and predictive analytics in optimizing satellite communications, which is relevant not only to the aerospace industry but also to maritime and military sectors.