A new era of quiet, confidential communication in the sky is on the horizon. Skyted, a deeptech startup specializing in silent voice technology, has announced an exclusive partnership with Safran Passenger Innovations (SPI), a leader in In-Flight Entertainment and Connectivity (IFEC). The collaboration will integrate Skyted’s innovative technology directly into SPI’s market-leading RAVE In-Flight Entertainment systems.
This strategic move addresses one of the longest-standing dilemmas of the connected cabin: how to enable voice calls without disrupting the shared quiet of the aircraft environment. Skyted’s technology captures speech directly at its source, significantly limiting sound leakage. This allows passengers to hold conversations that remain confidential to them and, crucially, inaudible to neighboring travelers.
“For the first time, the prospect of widespread in-flight calling doesn’t have to mean a noisy cabin,” said Stéphane Hersen, CEO of Skyted. “Imagine a scenario where 300 passengers could make a call simultaneously. With our technology integrated into the IFE system, they can speak softly, be heard clearly, and not disturb a single person around them. It turns the cabin into a viable ‘office in the sky.'”
The integration will be facilitated through SPI’s RAVE Open Platform, which is designed to seamlessly embed cutting-edge technologies into the passenger experience. SPI sees this as a key step in evolving digital services for connected aircraft.
“As true broadband becomes ubiquitous in aviation, our mission is to introduce services that anticipate future needs,” explained John Andrews, VP of Business Development at SPI. “Skyted delivers a genuinely disruptive capability: silent and secure communication that fully preserves cabin quietness. This is a direct answer to the growing demand for productivity and connectivity from business travelers, without the usual social friction.”
The partnership promises several transformative benefits for airlines and passengers alike:
- Preserved Cabin Quietness: A fundamental reduction in cabin noise pollution from conversations.
- Enhanced Confidentiality: Sensitive business or personal discussions remain private.
- Increased Productivity: Business travelers can work and communicate effectively.
- Crew Resource Management: Less need for cabin crew to intervene and manage noisy phone calls.
By merging SPI’s industrial scale and IFE expertise with Skyted’s pioneering acoustic technology, the partnership marks a significant leap forward. It moves in-flight communication from a theoretical possibility to a practical, socially considerate reality, reshaping expectations for privacy, productivity, and peace on future journeys.
