AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings is rolling out a major upgrade to its Aerofleet Coatings Management service by introducing cutting-edge drone technology designed to change how airlines monitor and maintain aircraft coatings at MRO Americas.

 

The enhanced system brings speed, precision, and data-driven insight to the forefront of fleet maintenance. Originally launched in 2023, Aerofleet was built to help airlines move beyond rigid maintenance schedules. 

 

Instead of relying on time or usage alone, the platform uses predictive analytics to determine exactly when an aircraft needs repainting—saving time, cost, and resources.

 

Now, the latest evolution pushes that vision further.

 

At the heart of the upgrade is the Iris CMX, a new drone developed in partnership with Donecle. Equipped with a 3-in-1 contact-based sensor, the drone captures precise measurements of dry film thickness, color, and gloss—delivering a level of accuracy and consistency previously out of reach in coating inspections.

 

The Iris CMX joins an integrated system that combines three powerful data streams: flight and environmental data such as UV exposure and humidity, full-surface visual scans from the Iris GVI drone, and now, high-precision measurement data. 

 

Together, they provide airlines with a comprehensive, real-time picture of coating performance across entire fleets.

The result: smarter maintenance decisions, fewer unnecessary repaints, and improved aircraft availability.

 

Beyond in-service inspections, the drone also plays a role in quality control during manufacturing and maintenance cycles, ensuring coatings meet strict specifications from the start and reducing costly rework.

 

Working in tandem, the dual-drone system can inspect a narrowbody aircraft in just 30 minutes—one drone per side—offering both qualitative and quantitative analysis at unprecedented speed.

 

The system is backed by specialist training from AkzoNobel and Donecle, with all collected data feeding into a centralized database that builds a continuously evolving profile of each fleet.

 

The latest milestone reflects a long-term strategy to deepen Aerofleet’s capabilities.

 

Michael Green, Segment Business Services Manager at AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings, emphasized the significance of the development: “Aerofleet Coatings Management has always been about giving airlines greater confidence in when and why they maintain or repaint their aircraft."

 

"From the outset, we had a clear roadmap to enhance the service with more advanced measurement capabilities. The addition of the Iris CMX brings precise, consistent measurement into the process to strengthen the data that underpins our predictive models. It also allows us to support expert assessment with more objective, consistent and repeatable inspections, while improving the speed and efficiency of the inspection process.”

 

Targeted at fleets of 100 aircraft or more, the service promises tangible operational gains—cutting maintenance costs, boosting efficiency, and reducing environmental impact.

 

The upgraded Aerofleet platform forms part of AkzoNobel Aerospace Business Solutions, a broader push to arm airlines with advanced analytics, technical expertise, and smarter operational tools in an increasingly competitive aviation landscape.