Barfield Inc., a subsidiary of Air France Industries KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) in the Americas, supports JetBlue in the deployment of Donecle's advanced drone solution to streamline and digitalise aircraft inspection processes across its fleet.
Under this agreement, Donecle's autonomous drone technology will initially be deployed to perform lightning strike and hail damage inspections, reducing operational disruptions and improving maintenance efficiency. The solution will subsequently support routine scheduled inspections, contributing to faster turnaround times and enhanced reliability.
The initial rollout will take place at key JetBlue stations in New York, Orlando, and Boston, with the ambition to reduce inspection times and optimise maintenance operations. In parallel, JetBlue will conduct a fleet-wide automated scan across its A320 and A220 aircraft families, enabling enhanced technical records and data traceability.
"This collaboration highlights our commitment to supporting innovative inspection solutions in the Americas," said Gilles Mercier, Chief Executive Officer at Barfield. "We are proud to contribute to the acceleration of drone adoption and to support JetBlue in enhancing the efficiency and digitalisation of its maintenance operations."
Christian Daoud, Managing Director Technical Services at JetBlue, added: "Our partnership with Donecle leverages advanced technology to enhance safety, improve inspection accuracy, and drive greater efficiency across our maintenance operations."
Matthieu Claybrough, Chief Executive Officer of Donecle, stated: "This partnership represents a turning point in our commitment to improving aircraft maintenance practices at scale. We are delighted to support JetBlue as it drives innovation and digitalisation within the aviation industry."
Barfield, as Donecle's distributor in the Americas, will provide technical and logistical support for the deployment of the drone solution. The partnership also opens the door to early access for JetBlue to new drone-based non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection technologies.
This agreement marks a new milestone in the shared ambition of Barfield and Donecle to enhance aircraft maintenance efficiency, safety, and digital transformation across the aviation industry.
