by Eytan Halon April
26, 2020
An innovative robotic system to rapidly
sterilize passenger aircrafts using powerful UV light technology is being
tested by leading Israeli aerospace and defense firm Israel
Aerospace Industries (IAI).
Widely used to purify water, Lod-headquartered
IAI has adapted UV-C (short-wavelength ultraviolet) technology in recent weeks
to successfully disinfect coronavirus facilities at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical
Center (Ichilov) and Yitzhak Shamir Medical Center.
Now, engineers at IAI's aviation division are
adapting the technology for the efficient and autonomous sterilization of
passenger aircraft between flights, boosting airline efforts to restart
operations in a safe and clean manner.
The UV-C technology is based on electromagnetic
radiation emitted with a wavelength of 254 nanometers – a frequency that kills
all germs and viruses and is more effective than traditional chemical cleaning
for cabin surfaces.
"Our system consists of a robotic system
that operates autonomously inside the airplane," said Avi, the IAI
aviation division project leader, whose surname cannot be disclosed for
security reasons. "We can give the robot a plan of the airplane or any
large space, and the system will operate automatically."
The system is being tested on an aircraft that
is currently being modified by IAI engineers in the company's facilities, Avi
said. The system has proved to be faster than traditional interior cabin
cleaning and sterilizes everything in the proximity of the system, including
aircraft seat upholstery and other fabrics.
"The usual cleaning solutions require a
lot of time, and involve chemicals, water and liquids. Passengers cannot board
the airplane until it has dried out," said Avi, adding that the system is
"much more affordable" than existing cleaning methods. "When you
use this system, you can immediately board passengers after completing the
cleaning process."
Adapting the system for mobile use within
aircraft has not been without its challenges. Deploying the technology requires
regulatory approval from aviation authorities, the addition of a powerful
in-built AC power system, and the ability to navigate between the aircraft's
narrowest seats.
"The system can operate very quickly
within an airplane, because the distance from the system to the wall and
ceilings is much smaller than a hospital room," Avi said.
The introduction of effective cabin
sterilization technologies will be key to launching wide-scale operations in
the decimated aviation industry, and to restore public confidence in plane
travel.
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