Lockheed Martin Unveils UAE-Inspired AI Tech for Aircraft Inspections
For a cluster of skilled Emirati students interning at Lockheed Martin in Masdar City, what commenced as an ambitious summer initiative has evolved into a groundbreaking engineering achievement that will beneficially influence the company’s aerospace programs for years ahead.
After collaboratively dedicating 1,200 hours to developing and validating an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm aimed at identifying paint and primer flaws on jet airframes, the interns recently received confirmation that their innovation is being utilized by Lockheed Martin in the United States.
“We take immense pride that the efforts we invested here in Abu Dhabi with our engineering interns are being employed to enhance the efficiency and precision of quality evaluations on aircraft assembly lines in the U.S.,” stated Hala Alzargani, lead engineer at Lockheed Martin’s Center for Innovation and Security Solutions (CISS). “We initially began collaborating with Lockheed Martin mentors to offer training for Emirati talent keen on pursuing careers in the aerospace and defense industry. As our work advanced, we successfully digitized the labor-intensive process of manual aircraft inspections and provided a tangible solution that facilitates significant time and cost reductions.”
Lockheed Martin interns will present the new AI technology for improved aircraft inspection at the 15th edition of the International Defense Exhibition and Conference (IDEX), taking place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from February 21 to 25, 2021. Additionally, the exhibition will feature the company’s airframes, rotary systems, and air and missile defense innovations, all adhering to rigorous COVID-19 protocols to ensure visitor and exhibitor safety.
“The highlight of the internship was participating in daily stand-up meetings with U.S. mentors and gaining insights from them as we developed the capabilities,” remarked Athari Hasan Alzaabi, an intern from Abu Dhabi Polytechnic specializing in software security engineering. “I also appreciated our mentoring sessions with the UAE team at the CISS, which provided me with a profound understanding of AI and instructed me on how to implement agile software development methodologies to create practical AI projects.”
Lockheed Martin’s CISS has facilitated merit-based internship programs since 2017 and has launched a series of technology advancement initiatives for UAE engineers and industry professionals. This program offers specialized training in artificial intelligence development, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) design, defense simulation drills, business management skills, and IT systems administration, enabling students to engage in real-world projects that significantly impact the aerospace and defense sector.
