Pika Aero and DGM France were announced as winners of the 2026 International Air Transport Association (IATA) CBTA Center Best Innovation Award on Mar. 9, recognizing their use of artificial intelligence in dangerous goods training. The award was presented during the 4th IATA CBTA Center Conference, held alongside the 2026 IATA World Cargo Symposium.
The recognition highlights the growing importance of advanced technology in improving safety and compliance within the air transport industry. Both companies were honored for developing AI-powered solutions that offer personalized, real-world training experiences for handling dangerous goods.
Pika Aero was recognized for its immersive Competency-Based Training and Assessment (CBTA) technology, which uses AI to adapt lessons and operational scenarios based on each learner’s performance. DGM France’s solution provides tailored training according to individual knowledge levels, with post-training validation to track progress and identify remaining gaps.
“As Pika Aero and DGM France have demonstrated, AI has become a vital enabler in providing realistic training environments that strengthen safety and enhance compliance. We are proud to count both companies among IATA’s network of CBTA Centers and encourage others to follow their example in raising training standards across the industry,” said Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President Products and Services.
“Even as a newly accredited CBTA Center, we are truly honored to receive the IATA CBTA Center Best Innovation Award. We owe it to our customers, who place their trust in us not only to provide the highest standards of training but also to push us to raise the bar in building a truly immersive training experience,” said Baptiste Sesmat, Director General of Pika Aero.
“We approached Dangerous Goods training as a system-engineering challenge. When CBTA requirements were introduced, we did not adopt a traditional course model but built a new approach. Competence must be designed, measured, and continuously refined. Our AI-supported CBTA model introduces structured personalization within a regulated governance framework, ensuring that safety performance is not assumed but demonstrated,” said Vytautas Volskis, President, DGM France.
The IATA CBTA Center Best Innovation Awards began in 2023 to promote development of solutions that improve operational efficiency, safety, and sustainability. The selection process involved an independent jury evaluating entries based on innovation, impact on industry priorities and sustainability, user-friendliness, feasibility of implementation, and evidence-based effectiveness.
The International Air Transport Association works to enrich the world through a safe, secure and sustainable air transport industry according to the official website. It includes about 360 member airlines accounting for more than 80% of global air traffic according to the official website. The association seeks to represent, lead and serve the airline industry according to its official website. Willie Walsh has served as director general per the official website, with headquarters located in Montreal among other offices worldwide as indicated on the official website. The organization engages in global advocacy and partnerships for advancing air transport as outlined on its official website.
