Rolls-Royce Launches Digital Platform

Rolls-Royce has entered the digital platform arena by launching Yocova, a cloud-based solution for the aviation industry to manage data. The site is designed to allow data exchange and collaboration in a neutral environment. 

Yocova (the word derived from You Connect for Value) is hosted by Salesforce and underpinned by that company’s technologies.

The platform, which was originally conceived to be part of Rolls-Royce’s IntelligentEngine service but expanded, has been operating in beta for six months with an invited group of data specialists, airlines and software providers.

Singapore Airlines is the first major airline participant, and Rolls-Royce credits the carrier with helping it to “identify the market need and shape the concept.”

For now, the airline is using it to collaborate internally and with Rolls-Royce to develop applications.

While several digital platforms are already available, including—Airbus’ Skywise and Lufthansa Technik’s Aviatar—Rolls says Yocovoa is unique because “it addresses the aviation industry’s wish to retain visibility and control over who is using their data, when they are using it and what volume of data requests they are performing.”

It also says the platform enables users to access their own data and “potentially use it as a basis for a revenue model, according to their own commercial criteria.”

Companies can access the platform for free currently, and if accepted, create a profile and “decide at which level they want to connect and collaborate,” according to Rolls-Royce, which plans for the baseline airline membership to be free.

“We want to ensure the balance of membership leans to the airlines, the digital innovators and end users of solutions, so we are only allowing certain OEM’s personnel (including Rolls-Royce)."

Lee Ann Shay

As executive editor of MRO and business aviation, Lee Ann Shay directs Aviation Week's coverage of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), including Inside MRO, and business aviation, including BCA.