The MRO services industry is booming and shows no signs of stopping. This is substantiated by the fact that by 2034, the global MRO sector will reach a valuation of 124.1 billion USD. At the same time, the AI and robotics industries are not shying away from growth either.
By the end of 2025, the AI workforce is expected to employ around 97 million people. On the other hand, by 2027, the robotics industry will amount to 43.32 billion USD. Stakeholders in the travel industry have realised the combined potential of AI and robotics in MRO services. To stay one step ahead, the applications of AI and robotics in the travel MRO industry are discussed in this blog.
Infosys BPM supports the aviation sector with MRO services that offer a digital control tower that tracks fulfilment milestones, end-to-end process automation, enriched master data, proactive order-status alerts, self-service customer portals, generative-AI insights, and RPA, together improving inventory visibility, speed, compliance, and cost efficiency.
What is MRO in the travel industry?
MRO stands for Maintenance, Repair, and Operations. It covers every scheduled or unscheduled action that keeps physical assets safe, compliant, and revenue-generating. These assets can include aircraft, trains, ships, terminals, and baggage systems.
MRO can be divided into four broad categories:
- Facility management materials: All building-related items needed for regular upkeep of offices, factories, warehouses, etc., such as light bulbs, HVAC filters, plumbing supplies, paint, and cleaning chemicals.
- Industrial equipment parts: Components and spares that are necessary to keep production or service machinery running. For example, electric motors, pumps, bearings, and gears.
- Consumables: Essential items that assist daily maintenance and operations and require regular replenishment to ensure uninterrupted workflow. This can include cleaning wipes, office paper, lubricants, adhesives, etc.
- Maintenance supplies: It includes items like wrenches, screwdrivers, and spare hoses. These are used for repair and upkeep tasks across the facility.
- Safety equipment: This includes personal protective gear and related items required to ensure worker safety. For example, hard hats, ear protection, and safety harnesses.
Current uses of AI and robotics in MRO services
Before moving on to the future of AI and robotics in MRO, let us get an idea of where the field lies right now.
Super-charging MRO through AI
AI models now watch every flight and maintenance bay. The result? Problems are predicted, paperwork shrinks, and parts show up right when they’re needed.
- Predictive upkeep: ML models track live engine and sensor data, flagging parts before an ‘Aircraft on Ground’ (AOG) scare.
- Early fault spotting: High-resolution computer vision finds hairline cracks or odd telemetry, then suggests the fix.
- Self-stocking shelves: Forecast engines raise purchase orders automatically so high-cost rotables stay off balance sheets yet on hand.
- Auto-written logs: NLP tools turn scanned QR codes into complete task cards and compliance notes on the fly.
- AR/VR know-how: Smart glasses overlay torque specs and VR sims let training repair staff rehearse complex jobs safely.
Robots in MRO services
Robotics provides tireless extra hands and eyes that scan, sand, and shuttle so human technicians can focus on the tricky stuff.
- Drone and crawler inspections: Drones map defects around wings and belly skins in minutes.
- Cobots on repeat jobs: They take on repetitive tasks involving only manual labour, freeing technicians for diagnostics.
- Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV) parts runners: Self-driving carts ferry tools and spares, erasing ‘missing seal’ delays.
- True paperless flow: Robots pull digital task cards from OEM manuals and sync every step to audit trails.
Emerging technologies set to redefine MRO services
Five breakthroughs show promise in their ability to hit the seven goals: safer work, higher labour productivity, better quality, smoother process flow, lower material spending, tighter compliance, and sharper decisions.
3D printing
Additive manufacturing of ground-support gear, cabin fittings, or legacy engine parts cuts lead times, trims inventory, and removes fabrication errors. This brings assets back to revenue service sooner and at a lower cost.
Prescriptive maintenance modelling
Prescriptive modelling in aircraft MRO uses advanced analytics to recommend optimal maintenance actions. It boosts ROI by cutting downtime, supports operational scalability, and seamlessly integrates with existing ERP/MES systems to enhance efficiency without overhauling the current tech stack. This leads to maintenance shifts from informed guesswork to data-directed action.
Digital twins
A digital clone receives live feed from its physical twin. Engineers run scenarios inside the model, predict future failures, and decide on parts, tools, and timing ahead of removal. Better visibility means a leaner inventory, tighter plans, and higher productivity across the life cycle.
Robotics and drones
Autonomous vehicles and crewless aerial systems automate visual checks, record coordinates, and keep inspectors safely on the ground. Robots can also lend torque and repeatability to wrench-turning tasks. The result is faster inspections, consistent quality, and more efficient use of hard-to-find skilled technicians.
Blockchain
Every transaction on an airframe or engine can sit in a distributed ledger, sealed and date-stamped back to its origin. The permanent record cuts document review time preserves asset value, helps bridge aircraft between operators, and blocks the entry of unapproved parts through transparent traceability.
Together, these five technologies align squarely with the seven criteria that matter most to modern MRO leaders, promising measurable returns in safety, efficiency, and informed control.
