Visitors to Farnborough International Airshow 2026 will be able to explore concepts enabled by ZEISS’s scalable ProSight technology platform for the first time, as the global optics leader unveils an immersive chalet experience showcasing how holographic and micro-optical systems could reshape future aircraft design.
Following its first major aviation industry engagement at the Passenger Experience Conference earlier this year, ZEISS is significantly expanding its presence at Farnborough with an interactive showcase designed to demonstrate its emerging aerospace capabilities.
ZEISS is a global leader in optics and optoelectronics, renowned for its camera lenses and advanced solutions in industrial metrology, medical technology and lithography optics.
Dennis Lehr, Head of ZEISS Microoptics Aerospace, said: “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.”
The curated “From Passenger to Pilot” journey will guide visitors through how advanced optical systems can transform both cabin and cockpit environments. The experience illustrates how future aircraft could integrate information more seamlessly through transparent surfaces, holographic interfaces and lightweight optical architectures.
At the centre of the showcase are ZEISS’s transparent display and next generation Head Up Display (HUD) technologies.
ZEISS transparent display systems embed digital information directly into transparent cabin surfaces, enabling flight data, entertainment content and passenger interactions without additional screens or mechanical components. The technology supports intelligent cabin environments while contributing to lightweight, space efficient aircraft design.
ZEISS’s Wide Field of View (WFOV) HUD concepts aim to enhance pilot situational awareness by projecting critical flight and navigation information directly into the forward field of vision. By keeping pilots “eyes out” rather than looking down at instruments, the system supports safer, faster and more intuitive decision making during critical phases of flight.
Powered by the ProSight platform, ZEISS’s HUD architecture eliminates the need for bulky projector systems traditionally associated with HUDs. The result is a lighter, more compact solution offering a wider field of view, high optical performance and reduced cockpit integration complexity and energy consumption.
These technologies are designed to support a broad range of future aerospace applications, enabling airlines, OEMs and avionics providers to deliver 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,” Lehr said. “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.”
The ZEISS chalet will also include dedicated executive meeting and networking spaces for airlines, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and industry partners to engage directly with ZEISS experts and explore collaboration opportunities.
