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The Royal Australian Air Force has introduced Microsoft HoloLens 2 mixed reality smart glasses to support No. 36 Squadron aircraft technicians as the carry out maintenance and sustainment on the squadron’s C-17 Globemaster III airlifters.
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Aircraft technicians at No. 36 Squadron are now using Microsoft HoloLens mixed-reality devices with Boeing-developed software to maintain C-17A Globemaster III aircraft – the trial started at RAAF Base Amberley in July to open communication and new working practices with their US-based counterparts.
Squadron Leader Dr Evan Oscar Smith, 36SQN Senior Engineering Officer, said, "Boeing’s augmented training operations and maintenance solution allowed the RAAF to achieve crucial maintenance tasks on the C-17A safely and ahead of schedule despite the impact of COVID-19, utilising novel support mechanisms such as HoloLens."
Normally, Boeing specialist technicians – known as the recovery and modifications services team or RAMS – travel to Australia to assist with repair and replacement for certain C-17A maintenance tasks, but because of COVID-19 restrictions they have been unable to visit.
Maintenance team supervisor Sergeant Thomas Lane explained RAMS could send technical drawings and documents, provide instant feedback and direct the overall task through the virtual space while technicians wear the devices.
"Through a secure ‘cloud’ connection, my team and the technicians in the US can work seamlessly together by sharing screens and see exactly what they are seeing inside the aircraft through iris tracking. The first project was to replace the floatation equipment deployment systems panels inside C-17s, which consist of explosive components that deploy life rafts in an emergency," SGT Lane explained.
The smart glasses, which merge holographic augmentation with the real world, allow technicians to use hand gestures instead of a traditional keyboard and mouse.
Using the solution, the RAMS team was able to provide remote real-time training and guidance to the RAAF, sending technical drawings and documents as holograms and supporting the overall maintenance task while aircraft technicians were wearing the HoloLens headsets.
Glen Schneider, C-17 Field Services Manager, said, "Boeing’s interactive augmented training operations and maintenance solution allows RAAF aircraft technicians to interact securely and in real-time with SMEs and engineers to provide remote support for the completion of critical maintenance tasks, representing significant travel time and cost savings for our global customers."
The trial will continue at 36SQN throughout 2021, allowing RAAF aircraft technicians, deployed on domestic or international tasks, to have direct reach-back capability to the Boeing C-17 Field Services team.
Multiple C-17 operators have expressed interest in Boeing’s augmented training operations and maintenance solution. Boeing is always looking for ways to innovate and incorporate commercial applications of technology – from product development to sustainment – to deliver more value to customers.
