Besides other improvements, the new cabin design has brought in a big change as far as its lighting scheme is concerned. The cabin design and the entrance area have been extensively redesigned and now appear brighter and friendlier. So-called Human Centric Lighting, a specially programmed, flexible lighting system, illuminates the cabin in warm red light, graduated intermediate tones to colder blue light. Depending on the time of day or night, the light in the aircraft cabin is thus geared to the passengers’ biorhythms.

Seating comfort has also been improved inside the aircraft. The side walls of the Airspace Cabin will in future offer passengers more space in the shoulder area. In addition, the modern washrooms are even more usable for people with limited mobility.

The spectacular visuals were coordinated to present the world of Genesis, delivering an audacious storytelling concept while also breaking the Guinness World Records for “The Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) airborne simultaneously”.

Markus Henne, Chief Executive Officer, Genesis Motor China, said: “At the heart of the Genesis promise is the daring spirit to do things differently. Our first-ever moment in China was a special opportunity to engage with our audience and show what Genesis is about. With this record-breaking drone performance, we brought our brand story and philosophy to life for many Chinese consumers. Soon, we will bring even more inspiring Genesis experiences and products to the consumers in China.”

Set above the glittering skyscrapers of the iconic Shanghai skyline, the complex and innovative product was designed to showcase Genesis’s unique brand concept and design philosophy. The performance, titled the “Genesis of Genesis”, represented the beginning of the brand in China and transformed the skies of central Shanghai into a canvas for thousands of illuminated drones to “paint” the brand story of Genesis. Audiences on both sides of the Bund witnessed the brand’s signature design elements animated in the air, such as the elegant sweep of the brand’s Two Lines concept expressed in harmony with the fluent lines of the unmistakable Genesis silhouette and Crest grille – as well as a preliminary look at the Genesis G80 and GV80, the expressions of “Athletic Elegance”.

This spectacular drone show not only broke the existing Guinness World Record for “The Most Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Airborne Simultaneously”, but also represents the audacious spirit of Genesis to challenge conventions, break through the boundaries and inspire new possibilities. At the climax of the show, 3,281 drones came together to create the Genesis emblem, breaking the world record, sending an exceptional greeting to China while signifying the arrival of an all-new force in the market. As its first-ever event in China, the performance presented an exclusive first look into the progressive approach of Genesis to reshape the entire luxury experience for Chinese consumers.

The FoxFury D10 is compatible for small format drones, including –

• DJI Mavic Mini
• DJI Mavic Air and Mavic Air 2
• DJI Mavic and Mavic 2
• Autel Evo and Evo II
• Parrot Anafi, Anafi Thermal and Anafi USA

The FoxFury D10 is approved, for use on the Autel and Parrot drones. Custom saddles are available for the Evo and Evo II, allowing for up to 7 D10 lights to be added. Custom saddles are also available for use on the Parrot Anafi, Anafi Thermal, and Anafi USA drones, where up to 3 lights can be added.

The use of multiple D10 lights enables the camera to have improved imaging capabilities and greater sight distances for capturing decision-making information. Multiple lights also assist drone optical sensors for landing and object avoidance.

The aircraft lighting market has been fragmented and various suppliers have identified innovation sweet spots to excel as a technology developer. The following trends reflect the seismic hotspots of technology innovations and the associated market participants.

‘Logotype’ mood lighting evolving as airline brand statement:

With the emergence of mood lighting i.e. color changing light to provide a more immersive passenger experience by aligning the illumination to certain conditions, carriers have been utilizing this as an avenue of the brand proposition. Innovative concepts such as fabricating artificial daylight from sunset to sunrise, dinner atmosphere, a cloudy or star-studded sky with cutting-edge simulation. This kind of interior lighting has been evolving as a symbolic tower of the brand proposition that screams the airline name with features such as designated color combinations typically used by the operator.

Fluidizing design differentia to enhance retrofit viabilities:

Germany-based Diehl Aerospace has gone a step further with respect to mood lighting with its flex-illumination and flat-surface-illumination technology, under its Human-Centric Lighting (HCL) portfolio, which fluidizes the design possibilities. US-based Collins Aerospace has ramped up the retrofit attribute with lighting systems, which can be installed within the existing fluorescent fixture mounting facades with specially designed Light-Emitting Diode (LED) lighting lenses seamlessly integrating into the existing sidewalls. The company’s Tapestry LED-based mood lighting system fits into the traditional fluorescent cabin lighting frames, replacing it with high Color Rendering Index (CRI) color points which can be adjusted to maximize crew and passenger comfort with respect to consistency and intensity. Consistently, Germany-based Luminator Aerospace has strategically diversified its product line to enhance the retrofit characteristics. While it has introduced a substitute for traditional fluorescent tubes with bi-colour and tri colour alternatives that can be installed in the existing aircraft structure, interior components, control interface and system wiring; it has also launched its Full Mood Lighting (RGBW) offering for more intense requirements. The systems promise enhanced modularity with the option of downloading the lighting tables as per the scene and color configurations specified by the customer airline. Also, with reduced size LED strip alternatives to fluorescent tubes, single-aisle jetliners as well as business jets can accommodate larger overhead bins.

Leveraging HCL to abate jet lag:

Germany-based Jetlite has directed its efforts to unlock the visual, biological and emotional benefits of light that ameliorate the passenger health, particularly in adapting the biological cycles of passengers to the destination time zone reducing the jet lag effects. Controlled consolatory light for relaxation, cooler light as a stimulant for active phases enable minimal deflection for the involuntary, biorhythmic functions. In the heart of this stress-alleviating technology lies the Jetlite controller, which, integrated with the existing cabin management system, moderates the cabin lighting automatically in line with HCL standards. Apart from the passengers, the technology promises diminution of the stress of flight attendants due to increasing workloads across time zones and associated lack of rest, effectually improving their performance.

Impregnating existing artifacts with luminous elements for customized visuals:

UK’s AIM Altitude has integrated its lighting solutions in the buyer-furnished equipment thus, creating more modular propositions for interior illumination. While this concept of moving away from separate lighting products to a more modulated design of ‘illuminating’ the existing interior artifacts addresses challenges associated with space restrains, the innovation also avoids installation challenges due to complex shapes. The innovation has witnessed an encouraging response in the middle east, the Emirates-operated Boeing 777 Ghaf Tree feature panel being an example. These features have been utilized by the airlines to intensate brand awareness such as fortifying the 3D appearance of the Arabic design with proper lighting, executed for Oman Air. AIM Altitude has also implemented the feature of displaying various scenes for different flight segments for Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A350 Social Zone, making the passengers pensively aware of the local sights at the destination.

Sharpening control with LED lighting:

Germany-based Schott, another optics specialist which has been in the forefront of innovation with respect to lightings and its effects on the passenger biorhythm, focuses on replicating natural light and uses a spectrum of over 16 million colors as well as eliminating color effects’ of ageing of LEDs. A unique combination of the optical light converter and an LED sensor assimilates the output of every LED, effectually removing possibilities of color drifts (light dots). The challenge of ageing LEDs impacting the overall homogeneity of the light performance was tackled by Schott with its HelioJet technology. The technology leverages four LED colors (red, green, blue, white) integrated into an optical light converter, which uses fiber optic principles. The set-up is supported by sensor management which controls the LEDs and provides a homogeneous light output over the life of the LEDs. The Heliojet has experienced a growing customer base over the years, starting with Scandinavian SAS in partnership with German MRO specialist Lufthansa Technik in 2015.

Implementing microLED for weight and longevity advantages:

With LEDs being installed for cabin lighting requirements for quite a few years now, the market stakeholders, specifically technology developers have been working towards bringing in more active and granular control with LEDs, without convoluting the installed electrical circuit. Enter microLED technologies – Collins Aerospace has been the first aerospace company to venture into the application of microLED technology to the cabin in the form of reading light. The company has been exploring possibilities with microLEDs and its installation in panelized lighting on flat and curved surfaces, as well as with video capabilities through embedded systems. Apart from better control, microLEDs also provide improved longevity and lightweight advantages.

Improving passenger health conditions:

Few companies, such as Luminator have been working towards enhancing cabin health and safety with antibacterial lighting. The lighting would neutralize harmful bacteria such as MRSA, E. coli, and salmonella, as well as yeasts and fungi. The differentiating factor is brought in by avoiding the use of UV light that may deteriorate the plastic or interior components through extended exposure. US-based start-up Vital Vio has been one of the first movers in this market. After a successful penetration of the hospitals, gyms, household and hotel industries, the company has been working with Delta Air Lines (through Delta’s innovation group, The Hangar) to implement its antimicrobial LED lighting technology onboard airplanes. Furthermore, the collaboration creates opportunities for Vital Vio to extend the application of its technology to airports and lounges.

Enabling feedback product development workflows:

Stakeholders have established dedicated centers of excellence (CoEs) and CX labs which replicates the aircraft cabin environment, enabling the customers to readily experience the cabin illumination. Diehl’s LVC (Light Verification Center), for instance, conducts lighting tests with relevant optical instruments (spectrometer, goniometer and sphere etc.). The test results, along with the passenger experience data and the operator requirements, feed into the new developments of cabin illumination in a closed-loop development model. Similarly, Collins Aerospace provides a fully simulated environment for the airline customers to experiment with the system, such as customize a cabin with their brand embossed on the seats and other monuments while Collins’ consultative approach helps define the appropriate color points for each phase of flight.

So What?

Market participants have been keeping their nose to the grindstone for bringing in the effective convergence of optics research around human-centric lighting and the human chronobiology (around such as melatonin and cortisol levels, heart rate variability, motion data etc.). Companies like Jetlite have developed proprietary algorithms, which expedites productization of these research learnings. Impacts of jetlag on the inner clock can be reduced by controlling the aircraft’s cabin lighting to provide more relaxation and activation-focused environment, considering parameters such as routes, directions and time zones. This contributes to the overall passenger experience and has the potential to pull an airline up the preference list of a frequent flier.

From an industrial standpoint, the COVID-19 pandemic has triggered ripples of uncertainty across the layers of the aviation ecosystem, initiating tectonic shifts in the entire value chain. The new aircraft demand existing so far can be expected to be sidestepped by the exponential growth of the refurbishment market, demanding a change in the ingrained strategy of the supplier network, including the lighting suppliers and technology developers. The suppliers should thus, articulate a strategy for the retrofit market, bifurcated from the conventional linefit market, for driving the next generation lighting products business. The growing market reflects significant opportunities for design firms and presents a landscape of possibilities for unleashing newer concepts like design thinking. The design excellence, once infused with an appropriate cobweb of in-house process and product best practices, would overcome the roadblock of convergence between design and product deployment, which has been historically encountered by most product manufacturers across industries.

Overall, the airline industry has been traditionally driven by passenger experience and expected to be more so, in the post-COVID era. With a range of restrictions in place while flying, as well as during the time spent at the airport, the horizon of passenger experience has increased a few fold and the airlines should triangulate specific areas of focus and develop a collaborative blueprint to address the requirements and gain market share.

 References:

• Aviation Business News: Cabin lighting: Making light work of passenger comfort by Bernie Baldwin, accessible at https://www.aviationbusinessnews.com/cabin/cabin-lighting-passenger-comfort/, accessed 30 June 2020
• Runway Girl Network: Making the case for aircraft cabin lighting harmonization by Mary Kirby, https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2019/06/15/making-the-case-for-aircraft-cabin-lighting-harmonization/
• Diehl Aviation: Cabin Lighting, accessible at https://www.diehl.com/aviation/en/portfolio/cabin-lighting/, accessed 30 June 2020
• Collins Aerospace: Lighting, accessible at https://www.collinsaerospace.com/en/what-we-do/Business-Aviation/Cabin/Lighting, accessed 1 July 2020

Photos credit: unsplash.com by Note Thanun

Author Details

Avimanyu Basu

The author is a Lead Analyst with Information Services Group (ISG) and comes with 10 years of experience in market research and consulting. He has executed several strategy consulting assignments for both public and private sector clients in APAC, Middle East and Europe in verticals like aerospace and defence, automotive and energy. Presently, most of his engagements revolve around outsourced engineering services.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author’s employer, organization, committee or any other group or individual.

Representing the developed world, the United States will maintain a 5.7% growth momentum. Within Europe, which continues to remain an important element in the world economy, Germany will add over USD 10.8 million to the region’s size and clout in the next 5 to 6 years. Over USD 9.2 million worth of projected demand in the region will come from Rest of Europe markets. In Japan, Runway Lighting Systems will reach a market size of USD 19 million by the close of the analysis period.Runway Lighting Systems, one of the segments analysed and sized in this study, displays the potential to grow at over 7.4%. The shifting dynamics supporting this growth makes it critical for businesses in this space to keep abreast of the changing pulse of the market. Poised to reach over USD 398.5 million by the year 2025, Runway Lighting Systems will bring in healthy gains adding significant momentum to global growth.

As the world’s second-largest economy and the new game-changer in global markets, China exhibits the potential to grow at 10% over the next couple of years and add approximately USD 85.5 Million in terms of addressable opportunity for the picking by aspiring businesses and their astute leaders. Several macroeconomic factors and internal market forces will shape growth and development of demand patterns in emerging countries in Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. All research viewpoints presented are based on validated engagements from influencers in the market, whose opinions supersede all other research methodologies.

The overall objective of the media installation is to enhance the passenger experience and bring back the romance and magic of travel. The adventure begins the moment passengers step into the New TBIT, harking back to a time when travel was exotic, whether flying to foreign shores or arriving in L.A. The latest in multimedia entertainment meets the essential functionality of the airport, turning the terminal into a spectacular, welcoming place to spend time: passengers can simply look around them to indulge in lively vignettes of old Hollywood, calming images of far-off destinations and visuals that lead the imagination to dream big and discover new lands.

Creative collaboration for a massive transformation

A project on such a scale requires massive collaboration: the seven iconic media features were designed by Sardi Design and MRA International; Fentress Architects designed the terminal and supported the media intervention and execution of the project; Smart Monkeys Inc. was the system designer and engineer; Electrosonics integrated the whole system; and Moment Factory was the executive content producer.

With its expertise in architectural media installations, immersive interactive installations and stage productions around the world, alongside a keen sensitivity to the visitor experience, Moment Factory’s team took into account the modern architectural features and multi-story dimensions of the airport terminal to conceptualise and produce media content that strikes an optimal balance between soothing beauty and engaging entertainment. Among many production feats, Moment Factory sent film crews to three continents and worked creatively with dancers, actors and even parrots, turning the studio into a virtual tropical paradise. Over 12 months of work by the firm’s multi-disciplinary team went into building the multimedia ecosystem, visualising each animation via physical maquettes as well as 3D computer models, and adjusting all components to achieve seamless, engaging works of multimedia art and design.

Seven architecturally scaled media features

1. The Time Tower, a 72-foot, four-sided functional clock tower built around the main elevators, completely clad with screens that come alive with everything from an animal-packed jungle to an original tribute to the silent- film era. The Time Tower also includes an interactive surface that reacts to the gestures of passengers by triggering customised, real-time visual effects.
2. The North and South Concourse Portals, two features comprised of 10 interactive 28-foot-tall columns of visuals and sound effects that continually change to reflect departing flights and the movement of passengers as they walk by. The Portals, with content evoking mosaic tiles, watery reflections, totem-like pillars and stringed instruments, suggest transformation and the movement
3. And wonder of travel. Their content’s themes are inspired by LAX destinations such as Tokyo, Paris, Sydney and beyond.
4. The Welcome Wall, an 80-foot-tall LED display of refreshing, lively images that greet passengers as they arrive in Los Angeles.
5. The Bon Voyage Wall, a feature designed for departing passengers, presents an array of slow-motion filmic images of people and places in Los Angeles, inspired by photographer Phillipe Halsman’s Jumpology series.
6. The Story Board, a 120-foot composition of multiple LED screens, displays visual narratives of Los Angeles, destination cities and the far corners of the Earth.
7. The Destination Board, a generative video “data cloud” displaying flight information & visual data on destination cities.

Facts & figures

 Moment Factory created over 4 hours of original video content (Over 30 original-content multimedia productions, 3-9 minutes in length).
 The team also produced generative and interactive content: 16 cities come to life on the portals, with generative visuals and audio effects based on passengers’ movements and flights’ departure schedule; an interactive activation was produced for each of the 26 capsules on the Time Tower with real-time clocks and interactive touch effects at the base.  The Time Tower is the world’s largest interactive feature with an interactive base that triggers content across 6,480 square feet of LED surfaces.
 The total output of the IEMS is more than 105 million pixels (8 times an Imax theatre): That’s 19,075 square feet of video, enough to cover the length of the 81-storey Eiffel Tower with a 6-metre wide display.
 Moment Factory’s X-Agora software powers interactivity and generates dynamic real-time multimedia effects – 8 X-Agora servers and 20 X-Agora players run the interactive components of the IEMS.
 Production techniques: Documentary filming, time-lapse, ultra-high-speed filming in laboratory-like conditions, live- action shoots with actors and elaborate sets, on-location filming, pure 3D productions, 3D composited with live action, interactive real-time 3D and video effects, and more.
 More than 300 people contributed their skills, including Moment Factory’s core team of over 60 multimedia artists, project managers and programmers.
 Over 12 months of full-time work on conceptualisation, design, production, post-production and a rigorous review and approval process, which called for presentations to LAX management and executives, the airport’s CEO, the Board of Airport Commissioners and the Mayor.

About Moment Factory

Moment Factory is a new media and entertainment studio specialising in the conception and production of multimedia environments combining video, lighting, architecture, sound and special effects to create remarkable experiences. With over 300 achievements since its inception in 2001, Moment Factory has developed a unique methodology in the production of multimedia experiences. Productions span the globe and include such clients as Cirque du Soleil, Disney, Madonna, JayZ, Sony Pictures, Microsoft, Euronews, the Atlantic City Alliance, the City of Barcelona, and the NFL.

Credits – Client: Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA)
Project Director: MRA International
Feature designer / Creative Producer: Sardi Design
Architect: Fentress Architects Systems
Designer: Smart Monkeys
Executive Content Producer: Moment Factory
Content Producer: Digital Kitchen
Systems Engineer: Electrosonic
Photo credit: Moment Factory

Photo Credit: Moment Factory