The Czech Republic has a rich history in aviation. Less than 20 years after the Wright Brothers' historic flight, Czechoslovakia's first aircraft manufacturing companies were established in 1919. During WWII, the region was known as a powerhouse in manufacturing and piloting fighter jets. Despite being occupied, Czech pilots left the country in 1939 to oppose Germany abroad, primarily in Poland, Yugoslavia, and France. In the 1950s, the Ae-45 and 145 series of aircraft were a significant stepping stone for Let, a Czech aircraft manufacturing company, as they were successful exports used as air taxis, air ambulances, and a general touring plane. They provided a firmer foundation to stand on when it came to Czech aircraft and manufacturing.

Today, the Czech Republic is known for manufacturing ultralight aircraft and aerospace components, and it is one of nine countries that can make an aircraft entirely within its own territory. The Czech Republic creates aerospace components for Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, and several other aircraft producers.

For nearly the entirety of its existence, humanity has dreamed of touching the sky, and after learning to fly, we have spent over a century trying to make flying safer and more streamlined. In 2023, Honeywell launched Digital Assistance for Reducing Workload and Increasing CollaboratioN, DARWIN, an AI initiative for improving and advancing single-pilot flight operations in Europe and ensuring the same (or higher) level of safety and same (or lower) workload as operations with a full crew.

This project aims to utilize human-ai collaboration in a way that maintains the clear roles and responsibilities of human pilots as the unlimited decision-makers and leaders. As many baby-boomer generation pilots reach their late 50s and early 60s, they retire because the pilot retirement age under the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, EASA, rules is 65. Presently, there are not sufficient new pilots to replace those retiring. DARWIN has the potential to reduce the number of pilots needed for safe and successful flights by adding more continuous monitoring of critical flight systems and improving workload management. Researchers in Brno, Czech Republic, may have created a new AI-powered co-pilot to do just that.

Photo: Michal Šafařík, Radio Prague International

Bohdan Blaha, a senior engineering supervisor at Honeywell, explains that the new AI system works by tracking the pilot's face contours, blinking speed and frequency, facial movements, head tilt, and where the pilot is looking. The system monitors pilot fatigue and pilot health conditions. If the system detects any pilot abnormalities, it will alert the pilot and advise on possible next steps. If the system does not get a response, it will sound an alert or a wake-up call to ensure the pilot is conscious.

The system has been successfully tested in an Embraer 170 aircraft, and, as of this writing, the system is being tested in an Airbus A321 for additional data collection, but the alert system is not activated for these flights. In the future, the system should become a key part of the DARWIN project. The research on this system will also allow Czechia to continue to be a leading aerospace manufacturer with proper integration of AI systems; the sky's the limit for Czech engineers and manufacturers.

Written by Asyiah Bray

Works Cited

“Brno Scientists Develop Monitoring System to Keep Pilots from Nodding Off.” Radio Prague International, 14 May 2025, https://english.radio.cz/brno-scientists-develop-monitoring-system-keep-pilots-nodding-8851045 . Accessed 14 May 2025.

Collins-Achong, Juliet. “Honeywell-Led Project Will Use Artificial Intelligence to Advance Single-Pilot Operations in Europe.” Aerospace.honeywell.com, 9 Nov. 2023, aerospace.honeywell.com/us/en/about-us/press-release/2023/11/honeywell-led-project-will-use-artificial-intelligence-to-advance-single-pilot-operations-in-europe.

“Czech Trade Offices - Aviation Industry.” Czechtradeoffices.com, 2018, www.czechtradeoffices.com/industry-sectors/aviation-industry. Accessed 14 May 2025.

Havel, Tomas. Establishment and Development of Airplanes Production in Czechoslovakia. 14 May 2015.

“Will There Be a Pilot Shortage in Europe? Demand, Jobs, and Opportunities for Future Pilots | Easy EASA.” Easy EASA, 6 Mar. 2025, www.easyeasa.com/post/will-there-be-a-pilot-shortage-in-europe-demand-jobs-and-opportunities-for-future-pilots. Accessed 14 May 2025