Book: Gogo teaches how to loop IoT into aviation with first publication

If you, like many others, have had an unquenchable desire of getting a live experience of flying a plane, then “From the Ground Up” is a book you must have definitely stumbled upon. Regarded as a Bible for flying by airline pilots, this book provided an in-depth look into how various components of an aircraft function, discussing many aspects that are not usually covered in typical ground school and flying classes. Gogo, a leader in providing broadband connectivity solutions and wireless entertainment to the aviation industry, connoted a different possibility to this legacy text. It has now published “From the Ground Up: How the Internet of Things will Give Rise to Connected Aviation” which has sparked an industry wide conversation about how the Internet of Things will reshape aviation. The new publication gathers insights from more than 30 of the foremost leaders in aviation and technology including leaders from Air Canada, Accenture, Cisco, GE, NetJets, Zubie, Motorola, Here, and more. “While the realization of the concept of the connected aircraft may seem to be in the distant future, it’s actually happening today. The adaption by the industry and the evolution from connected aircraft to true connected aviation is inevitable,” said Ash ElDifrawi, Gogo’s chief commercial officer.

“By working with the contributors of this book, we are able to evaluate the current state of the industry and the potential roadblocks along the way. We’ve concluded that in the next five to 10 years, nearly every facet of the air travel experience will be touched by the connected systems of connected aviation.”

With exciting technologies like virtual reality and 360-degree videos that have already landed the flying experience on a more refined platform, Gogo has ensured that Internet of Things is not left behind in elevating its scope in the aviation sector. The book explains how the Internet of Things applies to aviation, how technologies have evolved and how the value proposition is being built for airlines and other companies in the value chain. It also discusses factors like data privacy and cyber security that will inevitably have an impact on the evolution of connected aviation.

“As the leader in this space, it was important for us to collaborate with others in the industry, as well as broadening the scope to include IoT leaders who don’t necessarily fall into aviation,” added ElDifrawi. “Our hope is to have compiled a more defined and unbiased picture of how IoT will ultimately shape the industry and drive it forward and what it takes to get there.”

The book is available electronically free of charge or hardbound format at www.riseofconnectedaviation.com. Shipments would begin by the end of April.

Excerpt from the book

Decreasing technology costs have also made personal devices such as smartphones and tablets affordable for the mass consumer market. Sales of the Apple iPhone, for example, have gone from 1.39 million in 2007, to 231.22 million in 2015.10 Forrester forecasted that by the end of 2015, 42% of the global population would own a smartphone. By 2019, the International Data Corporation expects the smart connected device market to be “77.8% smartphones, 11.6% PCs, and 10.7% tablets.” Studies also show that consumers are developing emotional attachments to their smart devices, further spurring this rapid adoption. The preference for smart personal devices and the ubiquity of wireless connections have led to a demand for constant connectivity. As Air Canada’s Lise Fournel observes, “Our customers are now connected all the time. It’s a continuum of their lifestyle. They are even walking while looking at their phones.” Consumers are clearly engaging with technology in ways they never have before. Rapid adoption and reliance on smart, connected devices has made it easier to push new technology, setting the stage for IoT. Moreover, the adoption of consumer devices has led to their use in industrial applications. Referred to as commercial off the- shelf (COTS) technology, the use of these devices and software is motivated by the desire to reduce operational costs. Decreasing sensor costs and the rapid device adoption on both consumer and industrial fronts have brought IoT to fruition, and its impact will only grow stronger.