{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T13:08:33Z","timestamp":1788786513303,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788480000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"MRO TEKN\u0130K SERV\u0130S SANAY\u0130 VE TICARET A.\u015e."},{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100003353","name":"Galatasaray University","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["FBA-2024-1226"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FBA-2024-1226"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100003353","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"award":["FBA-2024-1226"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FBA-2024-1226"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/00btgsb62","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Passive Ultra-High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems deployed in metallic commercial aircraft cabins suffer from severe multipath fading, non-stationary channel dynamics, and operator gait-induced signal jitter. Addressing these challenges without physical airframe modifications or regulatory recertification remains a critical operational bottleneck. This paper presents an edge-native, software-defined framework that integrates micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) inertial measurements with an IMU-assisted Adaptive Kalman Filter (AKF) and a distilled surrogate decision tree. The proposed algorithm extracts localized motion energy (EIMU) to dynamically scale the measurement noise covariance (Rk) prior to physical-layer signal corruption, thereby eliminating phase lag and power hunting. For deterministic edge execution on COTS handheld devices, surrogate model distillation compresses a parent Random Forest ensemble into an 8.2KB 13-leaf decision tree (depth 5) yielding 0.12ms inference latency. Empirical validation across 17 operational sessions in Airbus A320, Boeing 737, and Airbus A321 cabins (10,720 valid reads) demonstrates a 99.45% mean RSSI jitter reduction (95%CI:[99.21%,99.63%]) and a 7.30\u00d7 suppression of transmit power oscillations. Statistically, asset detection completeness is fully preserved (0.791 vs. 0.795 baseline, z=0.281,p=0.779). Operating entirely within standard handheld software runtimes, this approach bypasses Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) requirements while ensuring robust aerospace asset visibility.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s26175639","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T17:25:56Z","timestamp":1788542756000},"page":"5639","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Software-Defined UHF RFID Asset Tracking in Metallic Aircraft Cabins via IMU-Assisted Adaptive Kalman Filtering and Distilled Edge Intelligence"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-4274-8658","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Melis","family":"Karadag","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department Computer Engineering, Galatasaray University, Istanbul 34349, Turkey"},{"name":"myTECHNIC, Istanbul 34906, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"software","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0280-3689","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ozgun","family":"Pinarer","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department Computer Engineering, Galatasaray University, Istanbul 34349, Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"resources","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"supervision","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"project-administration","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"77","article-title":"A Systematic Review of IoT Applications in Aviation: Enhancing Safety, Efficiency, and Smart Operations","volume":"10","author":"Gonzalo","year":"2025","journal-title":"Int. J. Internet Things Web Serv."},{"key":"ref_2","first-page":"909","article-title":"A brief review on IoT, its applications, challenges & future aspects in aviation industry","volume":"12","author":"Kaushik","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Curr. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"012022","article-title":"Maritime Digital Revolution: Navigating Technological Transformation in Ocean Industries","volume":"Volume 1606","author":"Shehloo","year":"2026","journal-title":"Proceedings of the IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science"},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Tran, A.T., Vu, C.T., Bui, V.H., and Nguyen, D.Q. (2025). Overheating Detection and Monitoring of Electrical Apparatus with Radio Frequency Wireless Temperature Sensors. Proceedings of the 2025 Asia Meeting on Environment and Electrical Engineering (EEE-AM), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/EEE-AM66675.2025.11473768"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Duroc, Y. (2022). From identification to sensing: RFID is one of the key technologies in the IoT field. Sensors, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/s22197523"},{"key":"ref_6","unstructured":"Dias, C.A.S. (2024). Smart Airports: Analysing Digital Transformation and Technological Advancements in Aviation. [Master\u2019s Thesis, University of Beira Interior, Aeronautical Engineering]."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Alghamdi, A., Alansari, S., and Alshamsi, R. (2024). A proposed solution for tracking air baggage handling system using IoT platform. Proceedings of the 2024 Advances in Science and Engineering Technology International Conferences (ASET), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/ASET60340.2024.10708731"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Maharjan, A., Yadav, P., Rai, C., Mandal, A.K., and DR, B. (2024). AWS server less luggage tracking system integrating IOT. Proceedings of the 2024 2nd International Conference on Networking, Embedded and Wireless Systems (ICNEWS), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICNEWS60873.2024.10730973"},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Haibi, A., Oufaska, K., El Yassini, K., Boulmalf, M., and Bouya, M. (2023). A new RFID middleware architecture based on a hybrid security technique using data encryption and RBAC for modern real-time tracking applications. Front. Mech. Eng., 9.","DOI":"10.3389\/fmech.2023.1242612"},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ukwandu, E., Ben-Farah, M.A., Hindy, H., Bures, M., Atkinson, R., Tachtatzis, C., Andonovic, I., and Bellekens, X. (2022). Cyber-security challenges in aviation industry: A review of current and future trends. Information, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/info13030146"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Rahman, M.S., Manickam, S., and Rehman, S.U. (2022). Role of internet of things in aviation industry: Applications, challenges, and possible solutions. Proceedings of the 2022 International Conference on Informatics Electrical and Electronics (ICIEE), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICIEE55596.2022.10010233"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Zhang, X., and Zhang, X. (2024). Application of Radio Frequency Identification Technology in Maintenance Tracking of Aircraft Electromechanical Equipment. Proceedings of the 2024 International Conference on Electrical Drives, Power Electronics & Engineering (EDPEE), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/EDPEE61724.2024.00114"},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, S., Zhang, L., Zou, Y., and Li, L. (2023). Method of Intelligent Management of Aviation Maintenance Tools Based on RFID Technology. Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE 5th International Conference on Civil Aviation Safety and Information Technology (ICCASIT), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICCASIT58768.2023.10351589"},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"185","DOI":"10.1007\/s11740-023-01194-7","article-title":"Tool management optimisation through traceability and tool wear prediction in the aviation industry","volume":"17","author":"Schreiber","year":"2023","journal-title":"Prod. Eng."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1521","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trpro.2022.06.164","article-title":"Lean Maintenance 4.0: Implementation for aviation industry","volume":"63","author":"Korchagin","year":"2022","journal-title":"Transp. Res. Procedia"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Romel, M.R., Almas, A.B., and Afnan, K.F. (2024). An RFID Based Automated Aircraft Maintenance Inspection Management System using IoT. Proceedings of the 2024 27th International Conference on Computer and Information Technology (ICCIT), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/ICCIT64611.2024.11021743"},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Behrens, H. (2016). Integration einer RFID-basierten Vorflugkontrolle f\u00fcr Notfallausr\u00fcstung in ein Kabinenmanagementsystem. [Ph.D. Thesis, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences]."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101368","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2025.3576940","article-title":"Investigation of Compact Metallic Environments on Power Attenuation and Read Performance of HF RFID","volume":"13","author":"Yeap","year":"2025","journal-title":"IEEE Access"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Li, S., Li, N., Calis, G., and Gerber, B. (2011). Impact of Ambient Temperature, Tag\/Antenna Orientation, and Distance on the Performance of Radio Frequency Identification in Construction Industry. Computing in Civil Engineering (2011), American Society of Civil Engineers.","DOI":"10.1061\/41182(416)11"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Kraus, D., Diwold, K., Pestana, J., Priller, P., and Leitgeb, E. (2022). Towards a recommender system for in-vehicle antenna placement in harsh propagation environments. Sensors, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/s22176339"},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"340","DOI":"10.1109\/TWC.2024.3492184","article-title":"A novel low-cost channel sounder for double-directionally resolved measurements in the mmWave band","volume":"24","author":"Hammoud","year":"2024","journal-title":"IEEE Trans. Wirel. Commun."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"244","DOI":"10.1080\/00224065.2026.2639400","article-title":"Design and analysis of experiments assessing handheld RFID readers in complex environments","volume":"58","author":"Strait","year":"2026","journal-title":"J. Qual. Technol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Navarro, W., Ternera, Y., V\u00e9lez, J.C., and Candelo, J.E. (2015). RFID system on electrical substation equipment. Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE 15th International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering (EEEIC), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/EEEIC.2015.7165177"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Motroni, A., Bernardini, F., Vaiani, S., Buffi, A., and Nepa, P. (2022). Performance assessment of a UHF-RFID robotic inventory system for industry 4.0. Proceedings of the 2022 16th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP), IEEE.","DOI":"10.23919\/EuCAP53622.2022.9769352"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Garcia Oya, J.R., Martin Clemente, R., Hidalgo Fort, E., Gonzalez Carvajal, R., and Munoz Chavero, F. (2018). Passive RFID-based inventory of traffic signs on roads and urban environments. Sensors, 18.","DOI":"10.3390\/s18072385"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1081","DOI":"10.1109\/JMW.2023.3285825","article-title":"A comprehensive survey on transmitting antenna systems with synthesized beams for microwave wireless power transmission","volume":"3","author":"Lu","year":"2023","journal-title":"IEEE J. Microw."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91624","DOI":"10.1109\/ACCESS.2020.2976533","article-title":"A comparative survey on silicon based and surface acoustic wave (SAW)-based RFID tags: Potentials, challenges, and future directions","volume":"8","author":"Suresh","year":"2020","journal-title":"IEEE Access"},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.1109\/MMM.2025.3563058","article-title":"Chipless RF identification sensors for product tracking and identification applications: A review","volume":"26","author":"Mishra","year":"2025","journal-title":"IEEE Microw. Mag."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mc Gee, K., Anandarajah, P., and Collins, D. (2022). Use of chipless RFID as a passive, printable sensor technology for aerospace strain and temperature monitoring. Sensors, 22.","DOI":"10.3390\/s22228681"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1109\/JRFID.2018.2887256","article-title":"Device-free crowd count estimation using passive UHF RFID technology","volume":"3","author":"Gupta","year":"2018","journal-title":"IEEE J. Radio Freq. Identif."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Melia-Segui, J., and Vilajosana, X. (2019). Ubiquitous moisture sensing in automaker industry based on standard UHF RFID tags. Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE International Conference on RFID (RFID), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/RFID.2019.8719092"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lach, M., Rutz, F., and Biebl, E. (2022). Prediction of UHF-RFID tag performance utilizing deep learning regression. Proceedings of the 2022 IEEE 12th International Conference on RFID Technology and Applications (RFID-TA), IEEE.","DOI":"10.1109\/RFID-TA54958.2022.9923995"}],"container-title":["Sensors"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/26\/17\/5639\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,7]],"date-time":"2026-09-07T12:18:16Z","timestamp":1788783496000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1424-8220\/26\/17\/5639"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"17","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]}},"alternative-id":["s26175639"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/s26175639","relation":{},"ISSN":["1424-8220"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1424-8220","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]]}}}