The 724th Air Mobility Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy, has deployed Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality headsets to conduct remote joint inspections of military cargo prior to aircraft loading. The system enables a qualified aerial port expert at a laptop to see in real time through the eyes of a field technician wearing the headset, with the ability to highlight objects and annotate the technician's view — capabilities that go beyond a standard video call.
The initiative was demonstrated on 28 August 2025 in Vicenza, Italy, as a proof of concept in partnership with the US Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade. From a conference room at Aviano, an aircraft services specialist guided soldiers through a joint inspection remotely, circling areas on her screen that required the on-site team's attention. The 725th Air Mobility Squadron, part of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing, led the technical development, spending a year working with Microsoft to refine the software and process.
Aircraft load balancing is a safety-critical logistics function: an improperly distributed load can alter an aircraft's flight characteristics with potentially fatal consequences. Traditionally, the specialised airmen needed for these inspections could not be present at every location. The HoloLens-based remote inspection system addresses this by requiring only the headset, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a laptop to connect a field operator with a qualified expert anywhere in the world.
The 724th AMS commander noted that the hands-free, immersive AR experience significantly streamlined communication and inspection speed compared with conventional video conferencing. The 521st AMOW indicated it will continue refining processes to enable mission execution across geographically dispersed units.
