Boeing hoping UV wand magic can clean aircraft to COVID confidence

Technology being developed for self-cleaning toilets on planes is being put to use in other parts of the aircraft.

Boeing has unveiled new technology for airlines trying to restore confidence in air travel after the COVID crisis, in the form of a UV light wand to disinfect surfaces thoroughly and quickly. Picture: Boeing

Technology being developed for self-cleaning toilets on aeroplanes is being fast tracked by Boeing to disinfect other areas of the aircraft.

Ultraviolet wands are expected to be on the market by the end of the year, to help airlines clean cabins and flight decks to COVID standards in as little as 15 minutes.

Boeing payloads engineer Dan Freeman said they began work on the technology in earnest at the height of the pandemic in April, but were able to borrow on previous research.

“For a number of years we’ve been developing ultra-violent light technology for use in lavatories and other places on the aeroplane,” said Mr Freeman.

“We’ve built prototype lavatories with UV disinfection and flown them on our eco-demonstrator.”

He said Boeing had continued to work on the safety of the product and then as the COVID pandemic erupted, saw the opportunity to convert their knowledge of the technology to something that was “immediately useful for airline customers”.

“It’s a great opportunity to apply the longstanding work that we’ve been doing into something that’s useful for our operators, needing to quickly disinfect areas,” said Mr Freeman.

Boeing associate technical fellow Kevin Callahan said UV light of 222 nanometres was very effective at disinfecting surfaces but he could not be certain that it killed COVID-19.

“The goal here is to achieve confidence (in air travel) so it’s dependent upon what the airline feels is sufficient,” Mr Callahan said.

“It’s ideal for those compact, difficult to reach areas, and it minimises the need for liquid disinfectants which could over time, damage control panels particularly in the flight deck.”

Boeing was now in the process of seeking a third party to manufacture and distribute the UV wands which could be available to airlines before the end of the year.

Mr Callahan said the product would be competitively priced for the market but a final figure had not been determined.

“Certainly there’s a much broader application of this product (such as in airports),” he said. “It’s a great use of very current technology to disinfect things sufficiently.”

Although the 222nm wavelength was considered safe to the eyes and skin, only trained personnel wearing face shields and gloves would be permitted to use the wands, Mr Callahan said.

They would not be considered part of the aircraft, therefore regulatory certification was not required, he added.

Boeing was also examining other technologies to increase confidence in air travel, such as the ionisation of air, and microbial and antiviral surfaces.

In addition, self-cleaning toilets remained under development by Boeing.

“We think there’s a need for technology like this,” Mr Callahan said. “We’re trying to bring a solution to market that will benefit customers.”