The Future of ULDs: How Smart Tracking, Automation & Lightweighting Are Transforming Aviation | Janis Balkens, Unilode

They are everywhere at airports around the world, yet most passengers – and perhaps even some aviation professionals – rarely give them a second thought.

But the humble Unit Load Device (ULD) is becoming a surprisingly important part of aviation’s digital future.

In this episode of the Future Travel Experience (FTE) Podcast, proudly part of the APEX family, host Max Gosney visits Unilode Aviation Solutions near London Heathrow Airport to meet Janis Balkens, Chief Operations Officer, and discover why the ULD is far more than just a box.

The conversation explores a future in which ULDs are lighter, smarter and increasingly connected – providing live location information and sensory data that could give airlines new visibility over baggage and cargo as it moves around the world.

But collecting the data is only the beginning.

Could the ULD Become a Smart Aviation Asset?

Unilode manages a global fleet of more than 220,000 ULDs, and Balkens explains how digital tracking is already changing the way these critical aviation assets are managed.

The next step could be even more interesting.

What happens when ULD location data is combined with information about temperature, shock, light and humidity? Could airlines identify when sensitive cargo has been tampered with? Could connected ULDs eventually help ensure the right bag is on the right flight?

Balkens explains what’s already possible – and why technology itself may no longer be the biggest barrier to making it happen.

Will Robots Load the Aircraft of the Future?

The conversation also turns to one of the industry’s hottest topics: robotics and automation in ground handling.

With workforce shortages creating significant challenges in some markets, robotic systems are beginning to take on tasks traditionally performed by ground handling teams.

But can they operate quickly enough for aviation?

Does the business case work?

And will the future ramp really be autonomous – or will people and robots work alongside one another?

Balkens shares his view on where automation is most likely to succeed first and why the answer could differ dramatically between airports and regions.

Aviation Doesn’t Have a Technology Problem – It Has an Adoption Challenge

The episode also explores a recurring challenge for aviation innovation.

The industry is full of promising technology, but turning a successful proof of concept into everyday operations can take years.

For Balkens, one area is consistently underestimated: change management.

Why do organisations invest heavily in developing technology but comparatively little in helping their people adopt it? And could technology actually become obsolete while aviation is still navigating the process required to deploy it?

It’s a fascinating discussion about what aviation leaders need to do differently if the industry wants to accelerate transformation.

Smarter, Lighter and More Sustainable

The ULD itself is evolving too.

From lightweight materials and fire-resistant designs to digital tracking and shared ULD pools, Balkens explains how innovation in an often-overlooked part of aviation can deliver benefits across efficiency, safety and sustainability.

He also reveals why Unilode’s pooling model can reduce the number of ULDs required across participating airline networks – and why greater collaboration could unlock even bigger benefits.

And when Max asks Balkens to identify aviation’s biggest technological disruptor over the next decade, his answer might surprise you.

It isn’t AI.

Listen to the Full Conversation

What will the ULD look like in 15 or 20 years?

Will robots eventually load our suitcases onto aircraft?

Can aviation finally overcome its data-sharing barriers?

And what needs to change if the industry is going to adopt new technology faster?

Listen to the full episode as Max Gosney and Janis Balkens explore smart ULDs, IoT tracking, robotics, automation, sustainability, change management and the technologies shaping the future of aviation operations.

Listen now to discover why one of aviation’s most overlooked assets could become one of the smartest parts of the airport ecosystem.