Page 63 - World Airnews Magazine March 2021

NEWS DIGITAL

FIRST AFRICAN AIRLINE TO TRIAL

IATA TRAVEL PASS

RwandAir, the flag
carrier of Rwanda, will become
the first African Airline to
incorporate the IATA travel pass
programme into its operations
on a trial basis.
Developed as an initiative Commenting on the airline's response to the initiative, Alexandre
to restore passenger and government confidence towards the de Juniac, IATA director general and CEO said, “RwandAir is
re-opening of state borders, the IATA travel pass is an application showing its industry leadership in Africa by becoming the first
that enables the ease of verification of a passenger’s compliance airline on the continent to trial IATA Travel Pass. RwandAir has long
with COVID 19 testing and vaccine travel requirements through a used IATA products as the most reliable source of information on
secure digital platform. entry requirements.
RwandAir plans to commence this trial in April for a duration of This trial will build on that history of working in partnership and
three weeks, for passengers travelling on its route network from takes us a step further in the context of COVID-19. IATA Travel Pass
the state capital in Kigali to Nairobi, Kenya. will give governments the confidence to re-open their borders
“RwandAir is proud to be the first African airline to trial IATA knowing that arriving passengers are in full compliance with any
Travel Pass, which could re-inforce all the health and safety testing or vaccination requirements.”
measures and protocols which we have put in place to restore The application incorporates a database registry of testing
customer confidence to fly once more. We are incredibly proud centres and labs at the departure and arrival points of each route
to be part of IATA’s Industry Advisory Panel, to ensure we guide network.
the technology development in a way that covers the unique This works in tandem with a digital passport - created on the
requirements of our passenger profile.” app by passengers travelling the route - which verifies that the
Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir,, “IATA’s innovative vaccination and pre-travel COVID-19 test requirements for the
solution simplifies and digitally transmits the information required arrival destination are met by each passenger.
by countries and governments around the world into our airline Additionally, the platform will allow passengers to share their
systems, in a secure and efficient manner. Travel Pass will make test and vaccination information through a secure channel with
it easy for our customers to resume flying - and just as easy for participating authorities and airlines around the globe to establish
RwandAir and airlines around the world, to accept them.” smooth and seamless travel. Q

NEWS DIGITAL

FACIAL RECOGNITION PATENT

FOR ITS DRONES

to adjust their location in the sky to find the to side to find the best angle. The faces
best angle for detecting and recognizing picked up by the drone are then matched
Israeli computer vision company faces. This would allow the police and to a database, giving police the go-ahead if
AnyVision has recently filed a patent that countries to locate criminals and track their target is located.
will allow drones to locate and identify everyone in a location from the air. The current issue with drones being used
people easily from the air. The patent Currently, drones and facial recognition by police and other agencies is privacy.
covers how the technology will allow the require humans to pilot the drone and Basically, with a drone, everything you do
drone to adjust its position to see faces often control the camera as well, requiring can be watched and recorded without your
clearly. more time to get the job done and the knowledge by a drone.
possibility of missing someone as the
Earlier in the month, a patent was filed camera is zoomed in so much. AnyVision has already faced this
by AnyVision employees to the US patent This patent will allow this process to be technology after it was accused of misusing
a similar facial recognition technology.
office with the title of “Adaptive positioning fully automated. An agency would send a
of drones for enhanced facial recognition.” drone out to a specific location they think Microsoft invested (US) $74 million, then
The name says it all. someone is at. The drone will then begin backed out of supporting the company
The patent essentially allows the drones detecting faces, moving up, down, and side after rumors spread that its technology was
used at the Israel-West Bank border. Q
World Airnews | March Extra 2021
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