Panasonic Avionics

Built with Qt

Panasonic Avionics Inflight Entertainment is built with Qt

Gary Towsend, Software Manager at Panasonic Avionics, describes how the company uses Qt to develop Inflight Entertainment systems experienced by over five million passengers every day. By using Qt (with C++ and QML), the developers at Panasonic Avionics are able to focus on the design and the usability of the interactive.

"We use Qt in a lot of different development aspects. For example, we use it for creating a certification application that's actually used to certify all the wiring of the aircraft before deployment. We also offer a wide range of different form factors, from the little handsets and gamepads all the way to the seatback monitor and the 24-42'' monitors for the first-class and business-class. We want to be able to develop once and show it on everything.''

Gary Towsend, Software Manager at Panasonic Avionics

Qt's Competitive Advantage

Panasonic considered other frameworks in the past, looking for a fluid, interactive experience coupled with that wow-factor, which they couldn't showcase because of lacking performance. Qt provided them with the performance they were looking for.

Another thing that stood out for Panasonic is the ability to skip the complex technical development because of the QML layer. Instead of spending their resources on the underlying technology, they could focus on design and usability. Because of that, they were able to work directly with the airlines to really customize and nail down exactly what they wanted to showcase to the passengers. QML enables joint work with the airlines, designers, and developers - all at the same time, usually on the same day.

The Future in New Dimensions

The future of Qt in the Panasonic IFE system is bringing in a sense of 3D space. They will utilize light and shading to bring out the wow-factor and immersive passenger experience but still keep the user interface very simple.

The other exciting aspect of Qt is the evolving community. The Qt Project is opening its doors for companies like Panasonic to provide a lot more feedback so not only they can contribute but also affect where Qt is heading in the future.