Aerospace OLEDs

Aviation display technology specialist Rosen Aviation is increasing its line of high-end OLED displays, and is set to introduce a 97-inch WOLED panel, the biggest ever display in an aircraft cabin.

Rosen Aviation - future VIP cabin design concept

Rosen Aviation's 97" OLED is set to receive the supplemental type certificate for a VIP aircraft by the end of 2023. Rosen has already signed up its first customer. Rosen says that beyond the exception OLED display quality, this display is very lightweight compared to a comparable LED LCD solution.

United Airlines has ordered Panasonic Avionics' Astrova aircraft internal entertainment platform to be installed at United's new Airbus A321XLR and Boeing 787, starting in 2025. 

Panasonic's Astrova platform is based on 4K OLED displays. United did not specify which OLED sizes will be used, but we know that Panasonic offers 13-, 16- and 22-inch options for regular (economy) passenger seats (while it offers 19-, 22-, 27-, 32- and 42-inch for business-class seats, these displays were just announced a few days ago).

In 2022 Panasonic Avionics launched its Astrova aircraft internal entertainment platform that is based on 13-, 16- and 22-inch 4K OLED screens. The company is now adding larger OLED screens to the Astrova lineup.

The new OLED displays, aimed for business-class and first-class cabins, will be available in five sizes 19, 22, 27, 32, and 42 inches. Beyond the increased performance, Astova also offers significant weight savings compared to other seat-end architectures.

US-based Jet Aviation announced that it has delivered its quietest and lightest cabin interior to date. The VVIP interior uses six 55-inch curved WOLED screens, three on each side above the window line.

The company says that the new OLED displays were installed as of to reduce the cabinetry required to house the screens, providing further opportunity for reducing the weight of the cabin and maximizing the floor space of the interior.

Panasonic Avionics launched off a new aircraft internal entertainment platform, called Astrova, that is based on OLED displays.

The platform includes three screen options: 13-inch, 16-inch and 22-inch 4K screens. All of these are OLED displays.

Airbus and Royole teamed up to demonstrate a digital inflight magazine - that makes use of a thin flexible OLED panel.

The two companies have been working together since 2018, and are now presenting a prototype device. The device looks like an iPad, but feels like a flexible magazine. The OLED display looks better than currently-used LCD displays in airplane seats, and also consumes less power and are also lighter.

US-based aircraft cabin technology developers DPI Labs announced that its 4K OLED displays for business and VVIP aircraft cabins are now available. In fact the company completed the first installation of its OLED displays (55-inch and 65-inch) on a VVIP Boeing 767 in January 2021.

This first OLED installation included a complete DPI cabin management system consisting of passenger and cabin crew control panels, audio/video distribution, cabin control modules and DPI’s multi-colored LED cabin lighting.

Japan-based inkjet printed OLED JOLED announced a partnership with Germany-based AERQ to integrate medium-sized OLED displays in aircraft cabins.

AERQ, interestingly, is a joint venture between LG Electronics and Lufthansa Technik, founded in 2019. AERQ aims to introduce innovative technologies to the aviation industry, and the company provides a digital ecosystem for aircraft cabins that consists of an open IT platform, inseat system, and Cabin Digital Signage. AERQ has already been showing large-area OLED display for aerospace applications (using panels by LG Display).

JOLED announced a partnership with Rosen Aviation, specialists in aviation display technology, to develop and integrate medium-sized OLED displays into aircraft interiors.

Rosen and JOLED already revealed a "first illustration of their capabilities" with a 22" 4K OLED display back in 2019. The companies say that they will launch new OLED displays in a variety of sizes at AIX 2021 (April 2021.

LG Display announced that it will demonstrate several new OLED technologies at CES 2020 in Las Vegas next week (January 7-10).

First up, LG Display will show new applications for the aerospace market - including 55" transparent and flexible OLEDs used in airplane cabins. LG will also demonstrate a 65" bendable OLED TV, suitable for first-class cabins, that enable users to adjust the curvature of the TV to create a more immersive experience when required. It seems as if interest in OLEDs is increasing in the aerospace industry.