The Aviation industry has established itself as a driving force of global technology development and innovations, which has seen the design of engines and aircraft becoming lighter, quieter, and more efficient. However, the industry is set to witness a paradigm shift by emerging technologies of the future, the likes of robotics, the internet of things, unmanned aircraft systems, artificial intelligence, and the call for hybrid and electric airplanes as the industry’s response to the climate crisis. The relevant information for this study was searched using multiple search engines and gathered by screening through scholarly publications and publication reports from governments and professional organizations that report original work in commercial aviation. The selection criteria were to scan through these publications and cite the relevant information guided by industry trends. This paper discusses some of the disruptive technologies of the 4th industrial revolution that are set to impact the civil aviation industry in the not-too-distant future, and the role technology management plays in enabling organizations to manage their technological capabilities to create sustainable competitive advantage. The paper also explores the possible dangers of over dependence on technology, although technology itself has a lot of positive outlooks in terms of simplifying life, yet it comes with multiple drawbacks.

Keywords

Strategic Change, Aviation 4.0, Disruptive Technologies, Technology Management, Competitive Advantage