Commercial aviation is in the middle of a quiet but important digital rewrite — one that shifts decades-old analog data links toward full Internet Protocol-based communication. And Boeing’s latest ecoDemonstrator Explorer, operated with United Airlines, is now one of the clearest real-world tests of what that future might look like. Boeing United IP communications

In late October, a United Airlines 737-8 became the 2025 Boeing ecoDemonstrator Explorer and began about two weeks of flight tests across the U.S. and Europe. The mission: evaluate Internet Protocol Suite (IPS) standards, a modernized communications framework designed to improve how the cockpit, air traffic control (ATC), and airline operations centers exchange information.

This isn’t just another incremental systems test. IPS aims to enhance operational efficiency, reduce congestion, lower fuel burn and costs, and ultimately support a safer, more predictable airspace. For airlines navigating thin margins and aggressive sustainability targets, that’s a big deal.

Why IPS Matters for the Future of Flight

Today’s ATC communications often rely on legacy protocols — slow, bandwidth-limited, and difficult to scale in an era where air traffic volumes keep climbing. IPS replaces those constraints with something far more flexible: a modern, internet-based communication standard developed specifically for aviation environments.

This upgrade enables richer, faster exchanges of flight data between pilots and controllers. Think more precise reroutes during congestion, faster decision-making, and the potential to avoid thousands of unnecessary fuel-burn minutes tied to delays and outdated information flows.

Boeing Chief Technology Officer Todd Citron emphasized this shift as a major inflection point for the industry. He noted that the collaboration with United “significantly enhances safety and operational efficiency,” positioning IPS as a cornerstone of tomorrow’s connected flight deck.

United’s own team echoed that sentiment. Andy McKee, the airline’s 737 Chief Test Pilot, framed the project as essential groundwork for future ATC modernization — something U.S. and European regulators have been pushing toward for years.

A Decade in the Making, Powered by a Wide Ecosystem

While the test flights only ran for a few weeks, the technology behind them has been under development for more than a decade. That roadmap includes multiple government partners, OEMs, satcom service providers, and academic institutions — all contributing to a globally aligned approach.

Participants include Collins Aerospace, Honeywell, SITA, Thales, Viasat, the European Space Agency (ESA), the FAA, NASA’s ATM-X project, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Each player brings a piece of the puzzle:

Key technologies and partners

Collins Aerospace

Focused on avionics interoperability and secure performance-based connectivity — a foundation for reliable global operations.

Thales

Its AVIATOR 200S system provides lightweight, real-time IP satcom capability for the cockpit, supporting faster decision-making.

SITA

Testing multi-link environments is essential for “trajectory-based operations,” a critical component of next-gen ATC frameworks.

Viasat

Demonstrating scalable satellite-based datalink, building on ESA’s Iris Global program already operating in Europe.

ESA

Supporting unified ATC modernization in Europe, emphasizing sustainability and cross-border efficiency gains.

Collectively, this ecosystem signals that IPS is not a niche prototype but a near-term operational reality.

ecoDemonstrator: Boeing’s Testbed for Real-World Innovation

Since 2012, Boeing’s ecoDemonstrator program has tested more than 250 technologies aimed at reducing emissions, improving safety, and making flying more efficient for airlines and passengers. The core philosophy is simple: take innovations out of the lab and put them into operational environments for rapid validation.

Past ecoDemonstrator aircraft — from 737s to 777s to 787s — have evaluated everything from renewable fuels to advanced wing designs to enhanced cabin materials. IPS now joins that list as one of the more transformative digital upgrades.

What Makes These Tests Important Right Now

Air traffic volumes are rising fast. Eurocontrol forecasts a return to pre-pandemic flight levels ahead of schedule, while the FAA is managing an increasingly busy and complex domestic airspace. At the same time, airlines are under mounting pressure to reduce emissions per seat, per mile, per minute.

Modern communications can help optimize trajectories, reduce holding patterns, and create far more efficient routings. Even incremental improvements across thousands of daily flights translate into meaningful CO₂ savings — something both regulators and airlines are prioritizing.

And technologically, the shift toward IPS aligns with broader industry trends: satellite modernization (like Viasat and Inmarsat global networks), the growth of multi-link flight connectivity, and the push toward “4D trajectory management,” which allows aircraft to be tracked more precisely in space and time.

How This Fits Into Broader Market Trends

IPS may feel new, but other industry players are moving in similar directions:

Airbus has been deeply involved in SESAR-supported connectivity initiatives across Europe, including trials integrating satellite datalink for trajectory-based operations.
Inmarsat (now combined with Viasat) has long been pushing Iris technology, which is now entering operational phases for European ATC modernization.
Thales and Frequentis are working with governments to deploy next-gen ATC communication layers capable of supporting higher-density airspace.

The direction is unmistakable: global aviation infrastructure is pivoting from analog constraints to digital intelligence. Boeing and United’s tests aren’t an outlier — they’re a sign that the ecosystem is preparing for wide-scale adoption.

Looking Ahead: What This Means for Airlines, Travelers, and the Industry

The IPS tests conducted by Boeing and United aren’t just another technical checkmark; they represent a practical step toward a more efficient and future-ready aviation system. While Boeing is currently in the spotlight, the broader trend mirrors what Airbus, Viasat–Inmarsat, and SESAR partners have been developing: interoperable, resilient, and high-bandwidth communications that allow aircraft to operate with better precision and lower environmental impact.

Reliable sources like Eurocontrol, ICAO, ESA, and FAA modernization roadmaps consistently point to digital datalink as a prerequisite for next-gen airspace management. IPS fits directly into those frameworks.

In short, Boeing and United’s ecoDemonstrator flights help accelerate a shift the entire industry is moving toward — one where real-time data, interoperable networks, and advanced satellite connectivity support safer, greener, and more predictable travel. It’s a foundational upgrade, and one that will quietly shape the way we fly over the next decade.