by Elsie Clark | Mar 23, 2026 | Connectivity
An aircraft has crashed with a ground vehicle at New York’s LaGuardia airport, resulting in multiple casualties.
The incident occurred on the evening of 22 March as an Air Canada Express landed. A CRJ-900, the aircraft recorded speeds of 39kmph as it hit the vehicle, which was on the tarmac attending to a separate incident. Both pilots were killed and several people seriously injured. As a result, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced they would close until it was safe to resume operations. The airport serves as a regional hub and handles around 30 million passengers a year, causing significant disruption to aviation across the Americas.
Photographers captured severe damage to the nose of the CRJ-900 as a result of the incident. Recent years have seen a notable uplift in ground and airborne collisions across the US, which have largely been blamed on a shortage of air traffic personnel. In October 2025, LaGuardia was the scene of another incident where two regional Delta jets collided at a taxiway intersection. Clipped wings and scrapes between aircraft have also taken place at Chicago O’Hare and San Francisco airports in the past year.
Air Canada and LaGuardia airport are yet to give an explanation for why the crash occurred.
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by Elsie Clark | Mar 20, 2026 | Connectivity
Ongoing airspace closures in the Middle East has placed strain on air traffic controllers, with staff in some regions now managing twice the number of aircraft than usual.
Due to ongoing US-Israel attacks, Iranian airspace remains completely closed. While very restricted schedule of flights are now operating out of the UAE and Qatar, the authorities in Bahrain and Kuwait are yet to open their skies. As strategic stopover points on flights between Europe and APAC, the closure of these strategic aviation hubs has changed the map of aviation operations.
High traffic corridors are emerging as aircraft avoid the conflict zone. Source: FlightRadar, accessed 20/03/2026
The major airlines in this region, including Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways, usually operate 1,500 flights a day, spanning 389,000 seats. Traffic that would pass through the Gulf is now being forced to reroute, placing a strain on aircraft management but also air traffic control. ATC staff in Egypt and the Caucuses are now managing significantly more flights than they would do usually as flights are remapped to avoid the conflict zone.
Individual controllers usually manage around six flights at a time. But in the current emergency environment, they may handle twice that number. Former controller Brian Roche told the BBC:
The controllers at the moment are working unbelievable shifts, [dealing with] unbelievable amounts of traffic.
While ATC protocols are ready to handle sudden upsurges in traffic, it’s uncertain how long the current pressures will continue, with the conflict showing no signs of abating. Controllers might be highly trained to manage stressful scenarios, but the toll of intense concentration should not be underestimated. Aviation authorities need to be sure that staff are well-supported during this stressful period to ensure operations continue to run smoothly in spite of the disruption.
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by Elsie Clark | Mar 5, 2026 | Connectivity, Innovation
The UK government has issued £30 million in funding as it expands its low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite programme.
Run by the UK Space Agency, the investment supports British businesses developing innovative satellite components and technologies. LEO satellites are becoming increasingly critical infrastructure because they offer more complete global connectivity than ever before, including in rural or mountainous areas. The biggest company in the sector, Starlink, have already become one of aviation’s critical partners, supplying high-speed inflight WiFi to a growing list of airline customers.
LEO satellite use goes well beyond streaming films at 30,000 feet and can support a range of aerospace applications, including avionics, flight operations, and air traffic control. Enhanced weather forecasting, navigation, and positioning have pushed the LEO satellite market to a £40 billion global market value that is growing by 10% year-on-year (YOY).
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said the £30 million investment would position the UK at the heart of this growing supply chain. A first funding round worth £18 million has already supported eight British companies and 26 highly skilled jobs. Lloyd commented:
Space is now the cornerstone of our modern economy. Satellite constellations have revolutionised how we operate, digitalising industries, optimising logistics and connecting all corners of the globe.
This new funding will support the development of smarter satellites with better hardware, the use of AI to make data delivery faster and improved connections between spacecraft.
This is part of the government’s commitment to keeping UK companies at the forefront of satellite communications, delivering economic growth and strengthening our defence and national security.
UK Space Agency CEO Dr Paul Bate added:
UK companies are developing world-class satellite communications technologies, from advanced antennas to optical links that can transmit data between satellites at the speed of light.
Our first C-LEO funding round is delivering real results, and this second call will help even more businesses take their innovations from prototype to product, ready to be integrated into the constellations of tomorrow
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by Elsie Clark | Mar 4, 2026 | AI & ML, Avionics, Connectivity, Flight Ops IT, Innovation, MRO IT, Sustainability
Aerospace Tech Week, the premier international exhibition and conference for the aerospace technology community, is proud to announce a new partnership with ADS Group as the event prepares to launch its inaugural UK edition in London.
The move to the UK marks an exciting new chapter for Aerospace Tech Week, which has established itself as the event for senior executives and technical leaders across the aviation and aerospace sectors. The United Kingdom provides a natural home for the show’s next evolution. World-class engineering, global-leading MRO capability, pioneering sustainability research, and an unmatched supply chain make this industry a cornerstone of British economic and industrial strength. It deserves an event that reflects that ambition.
To mark this milestone, Aerospace Tech Week is delighted to partner with ADS Group, the UK’s leading trade association representing the aerospace, defence, security and space sectors. ADS supports over 1,800 member companies across the UK, championing their interests, enabling business growth, and advocating for the policies and investment that keep British industry globally competitive. The partnership will help ensure that Aerospace Tech Week’s London edition is deeply connected to the UK industry community from day one.
Daniel Boyle, General Manager at Aerospace Tech Week said:
Aerospace Tech Week brings together the leaders shaping the future of aviation technology, so partnering with ADS is a natural fit. As the UK’s leading trade association for aerospace, defence, security and space, ADS represents a powerful network of innovators and industry stakeholders. We are delighted to be working together to strengthen engagement across the ecosystem and ensure Aerospace Tech Week continues to provide real value, meaningful connections and forward-looking insight for the industry.
Balaji Srimoolanathan, Aerospace Director at ADS Group said:
We are pleased to partner with Aerospace Tech Week as it launches its first UK edition, and to have another opportunity to showcase the innovation, ambition and global competitiveness of the UK’s aerospace, defence, security and space industries. Aerospace Tech Week provides an important platform for industrial collaboration across the entire ecosystem. With more than 1,800 member companies spanning the full breadth of the supply chain, we are committed to forming partnerships that connect industry with new opportunities, new technologies and new international relationships. We look forward to supporting a successful inaugural event and ensuring the UK’s world leading expertise is front and centre as the sector continues to innovate, export and grow.
Aerospace Tech Week’s inaugural UK edition will bring together airlines, MROs, ANSPs, OEMs and their partners to explore the latest developments across avionics, connected aircraft, MRO IT, flight operations technology, cybersecurity, sustainability and more.
For further information, to register, or to enquire about exhibition and sponsorship opportunities, click here.
About Aerospace Tech Week | 11 – 12 November 2026, Excel London
Aerospace Tech Week is a conference and exhibition focused on driving innovation and technology advancements in the aerospace sector. Bringing together senior executives and technical leaders, ATW connects the whole value chain of aerospace to discuss, connect, and collaborate on emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities.
In 2026, the event will reunite its community of 1,500 industry experts for two inspiring days featuring over 120 speakers. Key topics covered include AI, avionics, MRO, flight ops, and sustainability, while exhibitor and networking programmes spark connections that drive transformations across the industry.
Visit the event website here.
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by Elsie Clark | Feb 3, 2026 | AI & ML, Connectivity, Innovation
Two of Elon Musk’s key businesses, SpaceX and xAI, are to merge as the tech mogul consolidates his business interests. Experts suggest the merger will create the world’s most valuable private company.
Operating across space and satellites, SpaceX has become one of the most well-known aerospace businesses. Its Starlink constellation of low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites is becoming increasingly valuable as a global connectivity provider, with multiple airlines signing deals for inflight WiFi through Starlink. xAI, meanwhile, is best known as the operator of the AI chatbot Grok, which has hit the headlines for generating explicit material and incorrect statements.
Estimates currently value xAI at US$125 billion, and SpaceX at US$1 trillion. A statement signed by Musk and shared on the SpaceX website said:
SpaceX has acquired xAI to form the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, space-based internet, direct-to-mobile device communications and the world’s foremost real-time information and free speech platform.
The post adds that ‘space-based AI’ and ‘orbital data centres’ will be the focus of the merger. Musk explains:
My estimate is that within 2 to 3 years, the lowest cost way to generate AI compute [sic] will be in space. This cost-efficiency alone will enable innovative companies to forge ahead in training their AI models and processing data at unprecedented speeds and scales, accelerating breakthroughs in our understanding of physics and invention of technologies to benefit humanity.
He notes that the project will eventually involve factories on the Moon and expansion throughout the Universe, a cherished personal goal for Musk who has long nurtured the idea of establishing human civilisation on Mars.
SpaceX has proven to be an incredibly disruptive force in the aerospace world. Its dominance has forced its rivals Airbus, Leonardo, and Thales, to merge their aerospace operations in a bid to establish a credible European alternative to the Texas-based giant. While Elon Musk loves to make big promises, it can’t be denied that SpaceX, as well as his other companies including xAI and Tesla, have been incredibly impactful on their respective industries. What comes from merging his AI and aerospace businesses, whether it’s data centres in space or the promised factories on the Moon, will be eagerly anticipated across the industry.
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by Elsie Clark | Jan 19, 2026 | Connectivity, Innovation
SkeyDrone and Airport Intelligence have launched a strategic collaboration to offer airports end-to-end drone detection, response, and mitigation services.
Drone sightings have become increasingly commonplace in recent years, forcing the closure of significant aviation hubs such as Berlin Brandenburg. The disruption caused by these closures results in significant costs for airlines and operational headaches for airport management.
Developers of advanced drone detection technology, SkeyDrone monitor and analyse drone activity around critical airspace. Their tailorable platform includes an active runway configuration to make sure threats are addressed and alerts are meaningful. Airport Intelligence brings extensive aviation expertise to the collaboration, ensuring safety and security while creating actionable plans to address disruption.
Both companies are based at Brussels Airport, providing the ideal platform for shared learning. Stijn De Vleeschhouwer, Managing Director at SkeyDrone, said:
We’re seeing a tremendous demand for our threat assessment solutions, which help customers evaluate risks effectively. While we provide the technology, many airports and ANSPs lack established processes to act on these insights. That’s why this partnership is so critical: technology is one part of the equation, but taking the right actions is equally, if not more, important.
Korijn Defever, General Manager at Airport Intelligence added:
Our strength lies in designing operational concepts that fit the complex reality of airport environments, not only in theory but especially in practice. Working with SkeyDrone allows us to connect those concepts directly to reliable, proven drone detection technology, offering airports a pragmatic and scalable solution.
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