Augmented reality (AR) is expected to see significantly more uptake in the aerospace and defense sectors in the coming decade as vendors realize the benefits of utilizing this technology in manufacturing processes. Militaries are currently investing in AR, in a limited sense, but are refraining from deploying it in the field until the technology is more advanced. Once AR becomes more effective and can be better merged with data sources, there will be significant commercial opportunities. For now, its utilization will be focused in product development, according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Augmented Reality in Aerospace and Defense – Thematic Research’ states that, as it becomes more advanced, AR will increasingly be used to facilitate data use and will likely find initial function on naval ships to provide an overlay of important information for crew members. Despite its relative infancy, it is being utilized by a number of companies in the manufacturing process and its use is expanding as the software and hardware such as Microsoft HoloLens becomes more advanced.

William Davies, Aerospace and Defense Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “While AR has significant applications in aerospace and defense, the technology is still in its nascent stage and is some way from being deployed in the field. Vendors are increasingly likely to either invest themselves or purchase technology that can enable the use of AR to aid development processes.

“In the short-term, AR will become integral to the future of new product development with applications across a number of technologies. For example, Lockheed is already using the technology to manufacture the new Orion spacecraft for NASA.

“The investment by various companies, including Lockheed and Safran, is indicative that there is significant potential in the technology. This, combined with work from technology companies outside of defense, ensures AR will experience significant advances in the next ten years.”