Zeiss to present 'immersive' solutions at Farnborough Air Show

Visitors to Farnborough International Airshow (Farnborough, UK, between 20-24 July) will be able to experience so-called immersive aerospace concepts enabled by Zeiss’s scalable ProSight technology platform for the first time. The global optics company will be demonstrating how its holographic and micro-optical systems could “reshape the future of flight.”

Following its first major industry engagement at Hamburg’s Passenger Experience Conference 2026, in April, Zeiss says it is now “significantly expanding its industry presence at Farnborough with a major interactive showcase designed to bring its aviation technologies to life.” Dennis Lehr, Head of Zeiss Microoptics Aerospace, commented, “We are bringing this optical expertise, together with decades of experience in holography and micro-optics, to aerospace applications for the next generation of aircraft platforms.”

‘Passenger to pilot’

The Zeiss experience will guide visitors to the firm’s Farnborough exhibition chalet on a curated journey “From Passenger to Pilot”, showing how advanced optical systems can transform both cabin and cockpit environments. It will illustrate how future aircraft could integrate information more seamlessly, intuitively and efficiently through transparent surfaces, holographic interfaces and lightweight optical architectures. At the center of the showcase are Zeiss’s transparent display and next-generation head-up display (HUD) technologies. These systems integrate digital information directly into transparent cabin surfaces, allowing flight information, entertainment content and passenger interaction to be embedded naturally into aircraft interiors without the need for additional physical screens or mechanical components.

Then, Zeiss’s Wide Field of View (WFOV) HUD concepts are designed to enhance pilot situational awareness by projecting critical flight and navigation information directly into a pilot’s forward field of vision. Enabling pilots to keep their focus “eyes out” rather than looking down at cockpit instruments, the technology supports safer, faster and more intuitive decision-making during critical phases of flight, says the developer.

Lighter and more compact

The immersive system removes the need for bulky projector architectures traditionally associated with HUDs. The result is a significantly lighter, more compact solution capable of delivering a wider field of view and high optical performance, while reducing cockpit integration complexity and energy consumption. These technologies are designed to support a broad range of future aerospace applications, helping airlines, manufacturers, and avionics providers provide enhanced passenger experiences, improved pilot awareness, and more efficient aircraft architectures.

“As aviation moves toward increasingly connected, intelligent and experience-driven platforms, the industry needs solutions that deliver high optical performance without compromising weight, integration efficiency or long-term reliability. That is the challenge ZEISS is addressing. Farnborough is an opportunity to step inside how future aircraft could look and feel, and to see how these technologies could translate into real-world aviation applications,” said Dennis Lehr.

The Zeiss chalet at Farnborough will also feature dedicated executive meeting and networking spaces, enabling airlines, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and industry partners to engage directly with the firm’s experts and explore collaboration opportunities. Visitors interested in experiencing the Zeiss chalet can request access and meeting appointments with the company’s aerospace team throughout the event.