Delta Air Lines and Airbus Expand Collaboration for Sustainable Aviation Solutions
Key Ideas
- Delta and Airbus announced an expansion of their collaboration at Delta's CES 2025 keynote in Las Vegas, focusing on advanced aviation technologies and sustainable solutions.
- The partnership includes joint efforts through Airbus' UpNext innovation lab and a commitment to sustainable aviation fuel production at Minnesota's SAF Hub, addressing the need for environmentally friendly aviation solutions.
- Both companies are working on developing and testing technologies to enhance fuel efficiency, wing performance, superconductivity, and aircraft assistance systems, aiming to shape the future of aviation.
- Airbus will also conduct flight tests with Delta to explore the innovative 'fello'fly' technique, inspired by migrating geese, which aims to reduce fuel consumption through wake energy retrieval, demonstrating a commitment to eco-friendly practices.
Delta Air Lines and Airbus have announced an expansion of their collaboration to advance aviation technologies and sustainable solutions. The agreement, revealed at Delta's CES 2025 keynote in Las Vegas, includes joint efforts through Airbus' UpNext innovation lab, focusing on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production at Minnesota's SAF Hub. This collaboration builds on previous ventures, including exploring hydrogen-powered aircraft through Airbus' ZEROe project.
The partnership involves Delta's Sustainable Skies Lab and Airbus UpNext, working on fuel efficiency, wing performance, superconductivity, and aircraft assistance systems. Delta provides operational feedback, participates in experiment designs, and may implement early-stage technologies. Airbus will leverage its labs worldwide to accelerate these innovations.
Additionally, Delta will participate in testing Airbus' 'fello'fly' technique, which minimizes fuel consumption by pairing aircraft during flight, inspired by migrating geese. Airbus will further develop and test this concept in 2025 with Delta to assess its viability for widespread use.
To address the scarcity of sustainable aviation fuel, Airbus commits to the Minnesota SAF Hub and a multi-year SAF purchase consortium. This move aligns with the industry's focus on reducing aviation's environmental impact. The collaboration between Delta and Airbus showcases a positive outlook towards sustainable aviation solutions and technological advancements.