Thought Leadership
The United Nations has officially declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Technology. Quantum computers promise groundbreaking progress, particularly in the aviation industry, by making complex planning processes more efficient.
From the creation of flight plans and crew scheduling to flight route optimization – the potential of this technology is immense.
Lufthansa Industry Solutions (LHIND), together with various institutes of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), has set itself the goal of revolutionizing strategic and operational planning in air traffic through the use of quantum computers. This two-year research project aims to investigate how airlines can benefit from this new technology.
Quantum computers as the key to more efficient planning
Dr. Joseph Doetsch, Quantum Computing Lead at LHIND, underlines the importance of this research for aviation: “The efficient use of resources is fundamental to the economic success of an airline. This applies both to long-term considerations such as drawing up the annual flight plan and to challenges in day-to-day operations, such as when flight routes have to be changed spontaneously due to airspace closures or storms, or when a crew member is absent at short notice due to illness. Not forgetting compliance with the prescribed maintenance intervals.”
Comparison of quantum and classical algorithms
The DLR Quantum Computing Initiative (DLR QCI) brings together research, start-ups and industry to develop both new quantum computers and practical applications. Within this program, LHIND has been awarded the contract for the sub-projects “Strategic Planning Processes” and “Tactical Planning Processes”. Until the end of 2026, LHIND is working closely with the DLR Institute of Air Transport and the DLR Institute of Quantum Technologies to unlock the full potential of quantum technology for aviation.
Strategic planning with Eurowings
In the area of strategic planning processes, LHIND cooperates with the airline Eurowings. Their extensive flight data provides valuable insights into the challenges of an airline with more than 100 aircraft at 13 locations. Together with Kipu Quantum, a start-up for hardware-specific quantum computing solutions, LHIND is developing new mathematical models and algorithms that are being tested on both classical and quantum computers.
Optimization of tactical processes
In the tactical area, the DLR Institute of Air Transport is investigating the extent to which quantum algorithms can outperform conventional methods in short-term flight route adjustment and the allocation of aircraft and crews. Lufthansa is providing data from flight operations in order to carry out practical tests.
From theory to practice: quantum computing in everyday aviation life
LHIND has been working intensively for years on the question of how the findings from quantum research can be integrated into operations. One example is a joint project with the Institute of Quantum Physics (IQP) at the University of Hamburg, which was launched last year. The focus here is on optimizing check-in at airports. The so-called “gate assignment problem” in particular poses immense challenges for conventional computers, as the computing effort increases exponentially with the number of flight movements. Quantum algorithms could offer a solution here.
With the UN Year of Quantum Technology, the enormous potential of this innovative technology is increasingly coming to the fore. The aviation industry could be one of the first areas in which quantum computing finds its way not only into research, but also into everyday operations.
