Jet engines getting smarter

Bloomberg

Jet engines used to be slung under a plane’s wing and then largely forgotten about until they came into the hangar for a checkup. More recently they’ve graduated to data downloads that allow engineers to devise maintenance regimes while aircraft are still flying.
The next generation of turbines will be way smarter again, according to Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc, communicating with each other to share readings such as weather data so that their blades can be perfectly angled and thrust adjusted to minimise fuel burn—all without any input from the pilot.
“With the digital revolution blurring the boundaries between our physical products and the services we provide, we see a future where our engines are connected, contextually aware and even comprehending,” Dominic Horwood, Rolls’s director for customers, said.