For the past seven years, Carlo K. Nizam has been the head of Airbus Group's Value Chain Visibility and RFID program. He has led the effort to use radio frequency identification, as well as what the company refers to as "Intranet of Things" technologies, to track aircraft parts, logistics containers, tools, jigs, subassemblies and other critical assets.

The use of aero-robots, or drones, in the supply chain may be nearer than you think, and potential applications extend far beyond delivery of small packages, says Jonathan Evans, CEO of Skyward. Evans discusses the technology behind commercial drones and Skyward's role in helping build a digital airspace infrastructure.

U.S. Senator Cory Booker has introduced the "Commercial UAS Modernization Act," which could create temporary rules to allow commercial drone operations in the United States.

Accenture released a new version of its Air Cargo Suite software with advanced capabilities that can help carriers become more flexible, competitive and efficient through streamlined operations and data integration. The entire suite is now also available for delivery as a service, enabling carriers of all sizes to take advantage of a robust cargo management solution while retaining the agility and cost benefits of SaaS.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) released data for global airfreight markets, showing a modest 1.6 percent rise in volumes in March compared to a year ago, measured in freight tonne kilometers.