Global Scans · Aviation · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: More than half of the expected new passengers over the next two decades will originate from China, which will displace the US as the world's largest aviation market by around 2029. More than half of the expected new passengers over the next two decades will originate from China, which will displace the US as the world's largest aviation market by around 2029. Sales of consumer and prosumer drones are soaring and the Federal Aviation Authority forecasts there will be more than 1.3 million licensed drone pilots by 2020 in the U.S. alone.

• [New] Japan shows strong growth, from US$ 0.13 billion in 2025 to US$ 1.41 billion by 2032, backed by SkyDrive's certification progress, Tokyo demonstrations, and aircraft purchase commitments from AirX. openpr
• [New] North America will remain the largest near-term revenue pool because of U.S. manufacturer strength and FAA-backed pilot operations. openpr
• [New] Humanoid robots will move from pilot deployments to limited production deployment in logistics and light manufacturing between 2027 and 2030, conditional on solving three technical problems. EVST
• [New] Fleet modernization includes the introduction of Airbus A321neo aircraft with enhanced business class seats and onboard WiFi, expected from 2026. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] The introduction of Airbus A350 - 1000 aircraft for flights exceeding 20 hours marks a major technological and passenger-experience milestone expected between 2026 and 2027. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] Industry-wide, aviation is targeting net-zero emissions by 2050, with airlines accelerating efforts toward greener operations. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] Fleet upgrades, including over 2,100 new aircraft by 2027, are improving fuel efficiency and sustainability. Cision PR Newswire
• [New] Launched in 2022, GCAP is a trilateral initiative between Japan, the United Kingdom, and Italy aimed at fielding a sixth-generation stealth combat aircraft by 2035. Ronin's Grips Analytics
• [New] Vertical is targeting certification of its all-electric Valo aircraft by 2028, positioning for future commercial operations with an order pipeline and global airline partners. SEC EDGAR
• [New] An Il-76 aircraft will deliver 13+ tonnes of first aid & medical supplies for the people of Iran. The Washington Institute
• [New] By 2026, we will see more autonomous drones operating without human pilots, performing tasks such as monitoring crops, inspecting infrastructure, and delivering packages. DeepUseCase
• [New] By 2030, Airbus estimates all its aircraft and helicopters will be capable of flying with up to 100% SAF. JD Supra
• [New] NATO has acknowledged widespread GPS disruptions impacting both military and civil aviation, reinforcing the need for resilient, GPS-independent navigation. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Enterprises are now moving from AI pilots to AI-operated workflows, with McKinsey estimating that agentic systems could automate up to 70% of knowledge worker tasks by 2028. Kersai
• [New] Improving prediction of turbulence and icing will strengthen NOAA's ability to provide critical flight safety information to the FAA and the aviation community. US Harbors
• [New] Covering the contiguous United States, the new Domestic Aviation Forecast System will generate more detailed forecasts of evolving icing and turbulence risks, giving pilots real-time intelligence about changing weather conditions along their flight path. US Harbors
• [New] Supporting the safe adoption of innovation will require updating Federal Aviation Administration processes for certifying novel aircraft designs, developing performance-based standards for flight-critical functions, and improving data collection and analysis to detect potential safety issues. NAE Website

Last updated: 26 April 2026