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5G-Connected Nokia Drone Platform Chosen for Nationwide Drone Network in Belgium

Nokia just announced a contract with Citymesh—a Belgian telecom operator—to supply the Nokia Drone Networks platform with 70 Drone-in-a-Box (DiaB) units. (Photos: Nokia)

Nokia just announced a contract with Citymesh, a telecom operator based in Belgium, to supply the Nokia Drone Networks platform with 70 Drone-in-a-Box (DiaB) units. These DiaB units will be deployed across Belgium at docking stations in 35 different emergency zones, covering the country with a 5G automated drone grid to accelerate mobilization of resources 24/7. 

Immediately following a call to emergency services, a drone will be dispatched to gather information on the situation. The DiaBs can capture aerial footage and transfer it to control centers. Collecting information in the first 15 minutes after a call is critical; this ensures that first responders are better prepared to respond to an emergency.

In late 2020, Nokia—alongside Honeywell International as consortium lead—was selected as part of Project FACT (Future All Aviation CNS Technology), a research and development program initiated under the SESAR 2020 program, managed by the Single European Sky ATM Research (SESAR) Joint Undertaking. The SESAR Joint Undertaking’s Project FACT featured the deployment of Nokia’s 4G and 5G wireless network infrastructure at an airport in Istanbul. Both low- and high-altitude air traffic data communications were tested using modified airliner and drone avionics.

Thomas Eder, Head of Embedded Wireless Solutions for Nokia, shared in an interview with Avionics, “Nokia and Citymesh maintain a longstanding partnership in Private Wireless with a proven track record.”

He added that the mission of Citymesh, which is supported by the Belgian government, “is to first revolutionize the public safety sector and later other industries with this nationwide network of drones. [It] is a great example of how strong partnerships can scale in commercial and operational success. The contractual framework between Nokia and Citymesh contains everything that is required to deploy and maintain a nationwide network of Drones in a Box: hardware, software, subscription, training, maintenance, service, and more.” 

Nokia can leverage know-how in nationwide networks from deployment of DiaB units. Because of this, the company is well prepared to serve as a strong technology and service partner in projects like the nationwide drone network in Belgium.

In discussing what he sees as the key factors leading to Citymesh’s selection of Nokia’s Drone Networks platform, Eder explained that “Nokia’s approach to delivering a turnkey solution with all hardware and software components, including edge-cloud and network equipment, is an outstanding selling proposition.”

He commented that the Nokia Drone Networks platform has always been designed for remote operations. This makes it ideal for the use case that Citymesh had in mind. Another factor is that the hardware is made in Nokia’s own factory in Finland. “It could be important for the public safety sector, which may have geographic requirements for the origins of these devices,” he said.

Eder then remarked on the Nokia Drone Networks platform’s contributions towards enhancing emergency response capabilities. “Our Nokia Drone Networks platform leverages drone technology, 4G and 5G connectivity, and secure data analytics to enhance emergency response capabilities,” he noted. “By providing real-time situational awareness, remote monitoring, and efficient communication, it supports emergency responders in making informed decisions, improving response times, and ultimately saving lives.”

“If we look at today’s drone operations in emergency response operations, centralized remote operations are the ‘new kid on the block,’ but very much needed by first responders.”

“We’ve been impressed with Nokia as our partner for reliable wireless connectivity and an outstanding turnkey Drone-in-a-Box solution that we can customize to our specific needs.” – Hans Similon, General Manager, Citymesh Safety Drone

The open API framework of the Nokia Drone Networks platform, which allows for the integration of third-party applications, can expand the platform’s capabilities and enable a wider range of use cases beyond emergency response. Eder shared an example of this: “Picture the scenario where fire departments aim to utilize drones for rapid situational assessment during firefighting operations. By integrating their own incident management system with the Nokia Drone Networks platform through the open API framework, they can streamline their response efforts.”

“Through this integrated application, the fire department can swiftly deploy drones to collect real-time video feeds, thermal imaging, and other crucial data, which can be directly transmitted to the incident management system,” he explained. “This enables incident commanders to make informed decisions and allocate resources effectively. The open API framework empowers the fire department to seamlessly integrate their own incident management system with the Nokia Drone Networks platform, thereby enhancing their first response capabilities.” 

“By leveraging third-party applications, they can harness the platform’s real-time data collection and analysis capabilities, significantly improving situational awareness and facilitating effective decision-making in critical firefighting operations,” Eder added, explaining, “This example can be replicated in a similar way for our customers in the agriculture, energy, construction, and utilities verticals.”

The drones that will be deployed in Belgium are equipped with video and thermal cameras to conduct real-time aerial data collection. Eder commented that they will be remotely managed from five centralized operations centers and will be available to be deployed around the clock. 

“With emergency services receiving over two million calls annually, this capability greatly enhances their ability to make informed decisions and optimize their response to emergencies,” he said. “This means faster decisions based on real-time data with less personnel onsite.”

Nokia’s other collaborations include efforts with Yellowscan and Rohde & Schwarz. Establishing a strong ecosystem and creating partnerships are important factors for achieving success, Eder remarked. “I am confident that our data collection platform capabilities will be further enhanced through partnerships in the application ecosystem,” he said.

Implementation of the 70 DiaB units will start this summer, according to Eder. “Based on the planning phase and previous projects, it has become evident that strong project management, intelligent geographical deployment decisions, training and the right partners are crucial,” he commented. “There is a notable parallel between Nokia’s network deployment business and the deployment of Drones in a Box with our Edge Cloud platform [Nokia MX Industrial Edge].”

He explained how the team is working to ensure scalability and reliability of the system in order to meet the demands of a nationwide deployment. “Redundant and distributed components within the software architecture will be deployed to enhance reliability, network connectivity, and operational readiness,” he said. 

“Thorough testing under various scenarios and load conditions is conducted to identify and address any potential bottlenecks or performance issues; this is part of our standard operating procedures at Nokia. Proactive monitoring and maintenance are important to continuously monitor the system’s performance, detect anomalies, and promptly address any issues that may arise. Regular updates, patches, and security measures are key to ensure the system integrity and protection against vulnerabilities.”

The post 5G-Connected Nokia Drone Platform Chosen for Nationwide Drone Network in Belgium appeared first on Avionics International.

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DOT Wants Public Input on AAM Acceptance in U.S. Skies

The U.S. Department of Transportation is calling for public input on safety challenges and general acceptance of AAM (advanced air mobility) operations in the airspace. (Photo: Eve Air Mobility)

To prepare a blueprint for advanced air mobility (AAM) operations in the U.S., the Department of Transportation is calling for public input on safety challenges and general acceptance of air taxis and other electric aircraft ferrying passengers short distances in the national airspace. 

The Department of Transportation is required by law to invite public comment on advanced air mobility under the Advanced Air Mobility Coordination and Leadership Act passed by Congress in 2022. DOT has formed an interagency working group to gather public comment in preparation for a national AAM strategy scheduled for publication in 2024, according to a request for information posted in the Federal Register on Wednesday. 

“The purpose of the strategy is to ensure the federal government, in partnership with state, local, and tribal entities, is ready to work with and oversee the AAM industry, including developing new transportation options, amplifying economic activity and jobs, advancing environmental sustainability and new technologies, and supporting emergency preparedness and American competitiveness so that the United States continues to lead the world in aviation into the 21st century,” the RFI says. 

DOT already has some idea of how AAM will debut and evolve as a transportation option in the U.S. AAM likely will begin as “piloted flights using traditional air traffic control procedures and existing regulatory structures,” the RFI says. The emerging field of transportation currently involves novel aircraft, many of them electric vertical take-off and landing designs, or eVTOLs. 

“However, more ubiquitous and economical AAM operations are expected to require development of new technologies, procedures, and regulations that incorporate highly automated, unpiloted aircraft flying at lower altitudes with smaller areas of separation than in current operating environments,” according to the RFI. “Given the importance of safety and security to the success of a future AAM system, the DOT requests comments on safety challenges and related subjects.”

The burgeoning AAM industry foresees eVTOL aircraft expanding the reach and efficiency of current transportation networks by providing relatively short shuttle services between airports and urban centers. They also could augment the established network of helicopter-based medical evacuation and emergency response services. On the commercial side, eVTOL aircraft can rapidly transport cargo to job sites and provide “on-demand air services between regions without existing rapid, reliable transportation links,” the DOT says.

These aircraft could “provide new levels of accessibility, convenience and connectivity for people and cargo—and thus transform our nation’s transportation system to provide enhanced mobility for the traveling and shipping public,” according to the DOT. 

Members of the public can submit comments to the DOT through July 17 by email at AdvAirMobility_IWG@dot.gov, through the federal government’s rulemaking portal, or by mail to the U.S. Department of Transportation in Washington, DC.

The post DOT Wants Public Input on AAM Acceptance in U.S. Skies appeared first on Avionics International.

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Regulators and Operators Push for Increased Use of SAF

Regulatory bodies and operators across the world have shown significant commitment to increasing the use of SAF. (Photo: Avion Insurance)

In recent years, the aviation industry has turned its attention to sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF. This innovation involves using biomass to create a fuel with similar properties to traditional jet fuel, only with a lower carbon footprint. With SAF, items like corn gain, algae, oil, and a variety of residues from agricultural and industrial activities can be used to power aircraft with significantly lower carbon emissions. In recent months, regulatory bodies and operators across the world have shown commitment to this new fuel by taking measures to allow it to become more widespread.

This month, the United States and United Kingdom have begun discussing strategies to allow for increased development of SAF. The UK’s Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper is meeting the United States’ Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at the SAF Investment Summit in Detroit, Michigan. Accompanied by representatives from both Canada (Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra) and Singapore (Minister of Transport S. Iswaran), all parties at the summit hope to find improved ways to encourage widespread adaptation of SAF. Important companies in the industry like Boeing and United Airlines are also attending.

International cooperation will be critical in the push for SAF. As Harper explained, “While an ocean separates, we’ve never been more aligned with the USA on the future of aviation and what that entails—whether it’s boosting jobs, opening new trade opportunities or delivering guilt-free air travel. This trip is a crucial part of our work to reduce emissions from aviation alongside the USA, Canada, and Singapore, and I look forward to meeting my counterparts and industry representatives.”

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) recently finalized an initiative to help make SAF more available to the airline industry in Europe. Under this legislation, by the year 2025, 2% of all fuel that suppliers sell needs to be SAF. This figure rises to 6% in 2030, 20% in 2035 and 70% by 2050. In addition to SAF requirements, 1.2% of fuel available is required to be synthetic fuel by 2030, and by 2050 this figure is required to rise to 35%.

These laws were developed to stimulate both the supply and demand of SAF. However, despite the reduced carbon emissions expected as a result of this regulation, some of the largest airlines in Europe have criticized the EU’s attempts to reduce the impacts of air travel. Air France-KLM has claimed that its own SAF goals are more ambitious than those set by the EU, while Lufthansa points out concerns regarding competition. While European airlines would be forced to use SAF (which is more expensive than traditional jet fuel), other carriers flying into European cities from outside of the EU’s borders would not be held to the same standards. This could put European airlines at a notable disadvantage. 

While the EU’s attempts at increasing the presence of SAF in the industry have been met with opposition by several airlines, carriers in other parts of the world have already demonstrated acceptance of this new fuel. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has already begun planning its first flight using SAF made from CO2 through its partnership with Twelve, a carbon transformation company. 

Under their partnership, Etihad will help accelerate the use of Twelve’s E-Jet fuel. This low-carbon fuel is created by a power-to-power liquids process, and will be utilized on a demonstration flight using one of Etihad’s aircraft. 

This step will allow Etihad to operate more efficiently while minimizing its harmful impacts on the global climate. As Nicholas Flanders, Twelve’s co-founder and CEO, explained, “We are honored to partner with Etihad to work toward a supply of drop-in jet fuel made from air, not oil. Our E-Jet fuel allows airlines like Etihad to reduce emissions by up to 90% with their existing aircraft fleet, which will be critical to achieving the United Nations’ 2050 net-zero emissions target in aviation.”

Etihad’s partnership with Twelve will help it reach its sustainability goals. The carrier has already demonstrated its commitment to sustainable air travel with the development of its Etihad Greenliner Program in 2019, in which one of the company’s Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners was dedicated to finding sustainable solutions to air travel through collaboration with Boeing and General Electric. 

Just about a year ago, United Airlines announced a purchase agreement with Neste for SAF. Neste makes its fuel from renewable waste and sustainably sourced residue raw materials. This agreement made United the first U.S. airline to sign an international purchase agreement for SAF.

With so many authorities and operators adapting SAF, it’s clear the aviation industry is moving towards more sustainable fuel sources to help minimize air travel’s impact on climate change. While there are many challenges associated with SAF that must be addressed, influential agencies within the industry have already demonstrated their commitment to this more sustainable fuel source.

The post Regulators and Operators Push for Increased Use of SAF appeared first on Avionics International.

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Airbus VSR700 Testing Performed At Sea

Airbus Helicopters and the French Armament General Directorate (DGA) collaborated to test the VSR700 in an operational configuration from a ship at sea for the first time. (Photo: Airbus)

Recently, the VSR 700, Airbus’ unmanned aerial system (UAS), completed more testing at sea in the west of France as a part of Airbus’ collaboration with the French Armament General Directorate (DGA). Performing several autonomous take-offs and landings, the tests performed will help ensure the system is ready for certification and integration to navy fleets across the world.

In late 2020, Airbus completed a test for its VSR700 program using its automatic flight control system (AFCS), landing the aircraft on a moving platform without assistance from a pilot.

The VSR 700 is Airbus’ answer to the modern conflict and battlefields of the 21st century. The aircraft is about 6.2 meters (20.3 feet) long and 2.3 meters (7.5 feet) high, and it has a main rotor diameter of 7.2 meters (23.6 feet). The VSR700 is equipped with the Airbus DeckFinder system, allowing it to land precisely even in severe conditions. Powered by traditional jet fuel, the aircraft can operate for as long as 8 hours nonstop and its maximum take off weight of 700 kg (1,540 pounds) and ceiling of 6,000 meters (19,750 feet) make it a strong fit for a variety of missions performed at sea. 

Because of its application to navies, Airbus has begun testing for the VSR700 at sea in full operational configuration. In the beginning of May 2023, the system performed a total of 80 autonomous take-offs and landings from the deck of a civil vessel outfitted with a helicopter pad. These tests took place off the coast of Brittany in northwestern France. 

This testing marks significant progress for the VSR700 program. As Nicolas Delmas, the head of the VSR700 program at Airbus Helicopters, explained, “This flight test campaign was an important step for the VSR700 programme as it allowed us to validate the excellent performance of the drone in operational conditions, which were representative of its future missions. The VSR700 prototype opened its flight envelope in winds above 40 knots, accumulated eight hours of testing in 14 flights, and made successful landings in several different sea states.”

This is not the first testing performed on the VSR700. In March 2022, Airbus used the same ship and tested the system’s autonomous take-off and landing features using an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) based on a modified Guimbal Cabri G2 aircraft. 

Airbus Helicopters began trialing the VSR700’s autonomous take-off and landing capabilities at sea in 2022 using an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) based on a modified Guimbal Cabri G2. (Photo: Airbus)

Current testing follows a series of trials performed late last year and early 2023 in collaboration with the DGA at the Levant Island test center in southern France. The two trials demonstrated the system’s reliability in real maritime settings. With all of these tests completed, Airbus’ next step for the VSR700 involves carrying out its maiden flight on board a French Navy FREMM. The company hopes to achieve this in the second half of this year.

The post Airbus VSR700 Testing Performed At Sea appeared first on Avionics International.

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French Startup Ascendance Raises €21M for Testing, Certification of its Hybrid VTOL

Ascendance Flight Technologies has raised €21 million in funding so far. The startup has developed a full-scale prototype of its VTOL aircraft concept, Atea. (Photos: Ascendance Flight Technologies)

French startup Ascendance Flight Technologies announced in late March that it has raised €21 million (about $22.8M USD) in funding. Ascendance has developed a full-scale prototype of its vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft concept, Atea. The VTOL leverages the startup’s hybrid propulsion technology—Sterna—to reduce carbon emissions.

The recent fundraising round provided the necessary resources for Ascendance to fly its prototype and begin the certification process. Previous investors Habert Dassault Finance, Céleste Management, IRDI, and M-Capital contributed additional funding to the latest round, as well as new investors ARIS Occitanie, SC Mahé, Adrien Montfort (CTO Sorare) via Snaw Ventures, CELAD, Expansion Aerospace Ventures, and French Tech Souveraineté (operated by Bpifrance). 

Ascendance expects to deliver its first aircraft in 2026. The startup is currently in the midst of a prototyping and scaling-up phase. Its integration and test flight facilities have been set up near Toulouse at the Muret – Lherm Aerodrome. In 2022 alone, Ascendance announced that 245 letters of intent had been signed for its Atea aircraft, including an LOI with California-based Flyshare.

Co-founder and Chief Customer Officer Thibault Baldivia and Stéphane Viala, Director of Engineering and Programs, shared more details about the company’s progress and goals via written statements to Avionics International

Atea, developed by Ascendance, is a low noise, low carbon emissions VTOL aircraft.

Avionics: Can you tell us more about the company’s mission to decarbonize the aviation sector and the unique technologies under development to achieve this goal?

Ascendance is a More Sustainable Aviation pure-player. We are living in the age of environmental concern, and all industries are looking at reducing their carbon footprint. Aviation makes no exception. Ascendance provides the hybrid-electric technology that unlocks the energy transition in aviation to stay in line with passengers’ expectations and the global trend.

Ascendance’s hybrid-electric technology—STERNA—is based on a mix of two energy sources: battery electric and another fuel that can be, [in the] short-term, sustainable aviation fuel [SAF]—or hydrogen tomorrow. STERNA allows aircraft manufacturers to develop new-generation aircraft with a reduced environmental footprint or incremental development on existing platforms.

The team at Ascendance works on Sterna, its unique modular hybrid propulsion technology.

The hybrid technology is the only short- to mid-term answer if you want to keep range while decarbonizing. The idea is to be as frugal as possible on the SAF thermal machine, which is always running at its optimum, while complementing it with an electrical source of energy. This technology is scalable to any size of A/C and any type of hybridization: serial or parallel.

To lead by example in this transition and spearhead the deployment of more sustainable aircraft, Ascendance is also developing a hybrid-electric eVTOL aircraft named ATEA. This aircraft takes off and lands vertically or conventionally thanks to its fixed-wing concept and is a low-noise (divided by 4), low carbon (-80% CO2) alternative to helicopters.

This aircraft can also be used for regional air mobility thanks to its low environmental footprint to develop a new, decentralized aviation to connect remote communities or underserved regions with an efficient, quick, and more sustainable alternative than current transportation options. 

Ascendance’s ambition is to be the technology supplier that will be the enabler for the entire industry to succeed in its transition towards another model in a short- to medium-term.

Avionics: How does Ascendance plan to use the €21 million in funding to achieve the company’s goals?

Ascendance: This funding will be used to fly our 1:1 flying prototype with a pilot onboard for ATEA following an extensive period of ground testing and sub-scale prototyping that allowed us to de-risk the overall concept. Our flight test center has just been delivered Q1 2023 and the first parts of the aircraft are expected at the beginning of 2024 for a first flight in 2024.

This funding will also be the opportunity to deliver on our first co-development contracts for STERNA where our technology is applied to new or incremental aircraft developments by our customers. Finally, flying a prototype requires an experienced, talented team that we are currently expanding to reach 100 by next year.

What challenges do you foresee in bringing your hybrid technology to market?

Of course, technological challenges will always be present, but we have a high level of confidence in our technologies due to extensive ground testing at real-scale on our Iron Bird. Regulation is always a challenge in any new aircraft development but we’ve been in contact with the EASA to ensure a clear road to certification. 

The biggest challenge—especially in the current economic context—might be financial. We will need additional funding to get to certification, build our industrial capability, and compete with our competitors, especially in the U.S. and Germany.

Can you discuss the progress you’ve made so far in building your full-scale prototype and obtaining certification from EASA?

Thanks to wind tunnel test campaigns (two already completed), full-scale half-wing with fan in wing, and scale one energy storage and distribution, we’ve been de-risking all the key and most innovative technologies. Several patents were drafted accordingly. We are now passing and completing the CDR (Critical Design Review) allowing us to start ordering all long lead time items of the prototype as well as starting to design the details.

Partnerships are under finalization in order to accelerate our development. At the same time, we are deploying the DOA organization targeting the type certification while discussing with EASA and French DGAC to secure the permit to fly for next year. We are relying on the SC VTOL published in 2019 with associated MOC (Mean of Compliance) for which the last updates were done at the end of last year.

How do you see your company’s hybrid propulsion system fitting into the larger picture of sustainable aviation?

We went hybrid-electric because the founding team has been experimenting with electric aircraft since 2015. We quickly saw the limitations of all-electric aircraft for the global decarbonization roadmap of aviation: battery weight and recharge time that limit operations. It is also difficult to scale from two-seater trainer aircraft to something bigger. Hybrid-electric solves these challenges and has the capability to scale (using different powertrain and motor technologies, of course) from turboprop aircraft to regional aircraft as soon as 2027–2030. 

We offer our STERNA technology—centered around a very specific and patented Hybrid Operating System (which manages the energy in the aircraft)—to aircraft and helicopter manufacturers to embed this disruptive technology into their new development, incremental development, or to retrofit their existing programs.

How do you plan to scale up your operations and production to meet the growing demand for sustainable aviation solutions?

We already have a pool of international customers that help us better understand the requirements from different parts of the world. We are looking at expanding this pool of first adopters.

At the current stage, we are defining the entire ecosystem around the aircraft and our technologies with the help of partners on infrastructure, customer service and maintenance, pilot training, et cetera, with partners such as Groupe ADP on infrastructure or Air France Industries on maintenance. 

When it comes to industrialization, we made a strong choice to hire Hussein Harb (formerly with Gulfstream, Icon Aircraft, and Volocopter) to plan our production roadmap. We are in advanced discussion for a first final assembly line in France.

What kinds of partnerships or collaborations are you seeking to help integrate your hybrid propulsion system into existing aircraft?

We are looking to partner with aircraft or helicopter manufacturers (OEMs) to co-develop the future generation of hybrid-electric aircraft—either on new developments that would bring new aircraft to market, or an incremental evolution of the manufacturer’s product.

The post French Startup Ascendance Raises €21M for Testing, Certification of its Hybrid VTOL appeared first on Avionics International.

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Honeywell Operates First Flight With Anthem Integrated Flight Deck

Honeywell Aerospace reached a milestone within its Honeywell Anthem Integrated Flight Deck program, operating its first flight using the new avionics. (Photo: Honeywell)

Honeywell Aerospace recently reached a significant milestone within its Honeywell Anthem Integrated Flight Deck program. The aerospace developer operated its first flight using the new avionics. This system could have a successful introduction to a variety of industry segments, from commercial aviation to defense and more.

Though this program has been in development since 2021, Honeywell just recently operated its first flight using Honeywell Anthem on May 12, 2023. The one-hour long flight, operated by a Pilatus PC-12 test aircraft, was flown by Ed Manning (pilot in command), Bill Lee (co-pilot), and Will Quinn (flight engineer) and occurred above Phoenix, Arizona. It utilized all components of Anthem, including its new display system and processing platform.

This test flight marks an important achievement in Anthem’s certification process, and demonstrates the success of its new technology. As Ken Hurt, vice president, Engineering, for Honeywell Anthem explained, “Honeywell Anthem is breaking new ground in avionics design and the pilot-machine interface, with the goal of making pilots’ jobs easier and safer and essentially allowing pilots to configure their own cockpit based on mission and phase of flight. This flight is a clear demonstration of the maturity of the Honeywell Anthem system and positions us strongly on a path toward achieving Federal Aviation Administration certification.”

“This is a historic milestone as Honeywell Anthem is poised to change the way aircraft are piloted. Throughout the flight, the pilot and crew tested various aspects of the modular and customizable system, and it performed exactly as designed. Moving forward, flight tests on the PC-12 aircraft and will focus on exercising the system in real-life operational scenarios that will provide critical feedback for robust final red-label designs.” – Jim Currier, president, Electronic Solutions, Honeywell Aerospace (Photo: Honeywell)

Honeywell Anthem is the company’s first cloud-connected cockpit system. It boasts high applicability: the avionics can be adjusted to fit a variety of aircraft types ranging from industry sectors like general aviation to commercial operations. Honeywell Anthem improves the efficiency of pilots in various areas of flight: pilots can save time on pre-flight activities with the ability to upload flight plans from anywhere at any time. Additionally, they can access important information pertaining to fleet locations and aircraft use. Flight deck information like navigation maps, radio controls, and charts can be configured as the pilot desires on any display, while the inclusion of innovations like Honeywell’s Synthetic Vision System improve situational awareness and thus flight safety.

Honeywell is an accomplished supplier within the industry. In fact, Honeywell Anthem is the sixth generation in a series of wildly successful avionics systems. The company has also introduced other successful technologies to the industry, including its SmartView Synthetic Vision system, which is included in Honeywell Anthem.

While Anthem is not yet certified by the FAA, Honeywell remains confident that this system will improve safety and efficiency for air operations across the industry. The PC-12 test aircraft equipped with Honeywell Anthem will be showcased at EAA’s AirVenture 2023 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. 

The post Honeywell Operates First Flight With Anthem Integrated Flight Deck appeared first on Avionics International.

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Batteries for Electric Aviation: A Q&A With the CEO of Cuberg

Northvolt’s subsidiary, Cuberg, is leading a new program for the development of batteries that will power electric aircraft. (Photos: Northvolt/Cuberg)

Cuberg, a subsidiary of Northvolt, is spearheading a new program to develop high-performance batteries for electric aircraft. Cuberg’s team has worked on developing battery technology for the aviation industry since it was founded in 2015. Historically, the company’s focus has been on innovations related to core battery cell chemistry. Now, they are moving beyond the battery cells, or “building blocks,” to become a provider of full battery systems.

Richard Wang, CEO and founder of Cuberg, explained that this means “the entire engineered energy storage system which is a critical piece of certification and, ultimately, is a turnkey solution that any aircraft OEM can integrate into their platforms.”

Richard Wang, CEO of Cuberg

When Northvolt acquired Cuberg, the startup included about 25 employees. “Northvolt has really bought into the vision of developing advanced batteries for aviation,” Wang shared with Avionics. “Given their strong support, we’ve now grown to about 150 people. By the end of this year, [we will] probably grow to almost 250 people. I see Cuberg (and Northvolt) becoming the single most sophisticated and well-resourced battery development organization for aviation.”

He noted that Cuberg is now able to leverage some substantial investments from Northvolt. “They’re investing in this because this is also their future technology roadmap—to deploy to much higher-volume automotive markets. When aviation companies talk about how to leverage the investments and technology of the automotive world to benefit electric aviation and battery technology, I think this is probably one of the most direct manifestations of how leveraging automotive momentum, resources, and capabilities can enable electric aviation to go much, much faster.”

Richard Wang shared his perspective on the company’s new battery development program—as well as the electric aviation industry in general—in a recent interview with Avionics International. Check out our question-and-answer session with Cuberg’s CEO below.

Avionics: Could you explain the significance of the shift from focusing on battery cells to providing full battery packs?

Richard Wang: What we’re seeing is that this kind of turnkey solution, the full system delivery, has been quite attractive for customers to effectively integrate our technology without having to go through the pain of engineering their own battery systems. 

It also showcases that our innovation is becoming more and more concrete and practical in terms of commercial deployment, because we have solved a lot of the complexities around integrating the cells into full systems. Even at the system level, we have developed a battery that has 40% more energy per weight than the best lithium-ion systems for aviation right now. That translates into roughly a doubling, or even more, in effective flying range. That really showcases that we are able to deliver this complete solution that enhances aircraft performance in electric aviation.

Cuberg’s aviation module

What challenges or obstacles have come up in the transition?

We decided to move beyond battery cells and into systems [because] many next-generation battery chemistries pose new and different kinds of challenges for system integration—things that are not so familiar to existing lithium-ion battery developers. A few examples of this: 

  1. Our battery cells, lithium metal cells, are known to require a little bit more pressure on the face compared to lithium-ion cells. So the mechanical design of our system has to evolve to apply a little extra pressure for optimal cyclability. 
  2. How you charge and discharge lithium metal cells and how you manage their operations from an electrical perspective is different. Lithium metal cells need more specialized types of charging and management to extract the best lifetime and reliability. We’ve also developed a battery management system from an electrical perspective to optimize performance. 
  3. The FAA’s DO-311 [Minimum Operational Performance Standards for Rechargeable Lithium Battery Systems] requires that you drive battery cells into thermal runaway and show that you’re able to contain that thermal runaway at the cell or at the module level without it further spreading to the rest of the battery system. How thermal runaway occurs with next-gen chemistries is qualitatively different. You need different kinds of materials and different mechanical and thermal designs to facilitate that certifiable design. We have a number of innovations—from a materials and mechanical design perspective—to ensure you can also handle the cell safely from a runaway perspective.

What is your perspective on the current state of electric aviation as it relates to battery advancements?

​​What we see is a lot of companies that are racing to get through flight demonstration campaigns and through to certifiable first-generation aircraft. Quite consistently across the industry, both for VTOL and CTOL players, the performance range or the practical flying range that they can achieve when the aircraft is fully loaded, with a certifiable aircraft and battery design, and considering reserve requirements from the FAA, the actual usable flying range drops very, very dramatically. Most VTOL [vertical take-off and landing] players are talking about effective flight ranges of well under 50 miles. A lot of other numbers that are being published cannot be achieved with current-gen battery technologies. 

Even if you look in the CTOL [conventional take-off and landing] space, for some of the most optimized aircraft platforms, people are probably topping out at around 150 miles. Again, when you’re talking about realistic systems fully loaded with consideration for flight reserves and so forth, what we see is that the flight range with lithium-ion batteries is simply insufficient to really capture significant portions of the market as companies have envisioned for electric aviation.

There is a pathway to market, and companies are pursuing lithium-ion batteries currently, but the markets that they can serve are going to be quite restricted with lithium-ion batteries. 

Ultimately, why it’s so critical to have a real breakthrough in battery energy per weight is that it opens up a more useful and effective flying range—you’re getting upwards of 150 miles for VTOL companies, as they originally envisioned, and CTOL players that can fly maybe 300+ miles. 

We also see that the sophistication and level of capability around the batteries and battery companies serving aviation is still at a fairly early and immature level. You have a few small startups trying to develop aviation-grade battery systems using standard off-the-shelf lithium-ion cells, and there are a few OEMs trying to develop their own batteries. But when you look at the broader picture of battery technology and sophistication, it goes beyond just “Can you fly?” and even “Can you certify?” to “Do you have a full end-to-end life cycle management of that battery through to end-of-life, recycling, disposal, or second-life applications?” 

We’re seeing a need for the broader battery industry to really lean into aviation to help support some of these bigger-picture solutions. A lot of this has been developed in the automotive world to a much higher level of sophistication at this point. The opportunity we see as part of Northvolt, a very large automotive battery manufacturer, is leveraging all of their capabilities that have been vertically integrated and deploying these things for aviation, where having this end-to-end solution solves a quite critical challenge for a lot of OEMs and operators.

Battery manufacturing at Cuberg

How do you see Cuberg’s strategy and priorities evolving in the next five or ten years?

Short-term, we have signed some major development agreements with aircraft manufacturers to deliver full battery packs and systems for ground testing this year and for first flight testing, in both VTOL and CTOL platforms, later next year—that’s our first big step. Based on that, we will then work with more companies that are coming into our pipeline to develop batteries for proper certification programs and work with them for a fully certifiable design. This is in the coming three years. 

We anticipate the first certified aircraft using our lithium metal batteries either in late 2026 or perhaps 2027, given how long these certification timelines typically take. 2027 through 2030 is really when we are looking at substantially ramping up our manufacturing capabilities beyond that first wave of certified aircraft towards being able to deliver batteries for many thousands or tens of thousands of aircraft per year, and also to diversify. In addition to supplying manned aviation with CTOL and VTOL, we’ll also be looking at the very exciting heavy cargo drone industry that has significant need for battery innovations, and a few other adjacent segments that are ultimately driven by battery performance.

The post Batteries for Electric Aviation: A Q&A With the CEO of Cuberg appeared first on Avionics International.

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Norwegian Air Shuttle Renews Partnership with Anuvu for IFC Upgrades

Anuvu has announced a renewed partnership with Norwegian Air Shuttle which includes Anuvu upgrading the fleet’s currently-installed IFC hardware with its Dedicated Space technology. (Photo: Norwegian Air Shuttle)

Norwegian Air Shuttle recently renewed its partnership with Anuvu to continue their 12-year-long collaboration. Norwegian is set to become the first customer outside of North America to equip its entire fleet with Anuvu’s Dedicated Space technology. 

The Dedicated Space solution, first deployed in 2022, distributes capacity dynamically to passengers based on need. Both existing Boeing 737 NG aircraft and Norwegian’s new 737 MAX will have their existing hardware upgraded. 

Nancy Walker, SVP Commercial, Aviation Connectivity at Anuvu, commented on the news in an interview with Avionics International, saying that it’s not simply a renewal of their existing partnership. “There’s so many new aircraft coming into their fleet. It’s really a big win for us because of the size of the new aircraft,” she said. “Norwegian has been a longtime partner of Anuvu, and we’re thrilled to continue that partnership.” 

Anuvu’s Dedicated Space technology received a Crystal Cabin award last year for the category recognizing excellence in IFC and digital solutions. According to Walker, this award was a factor in Norwegian Air Shuttle’s decision to renew its partnership with the company. Anuvu used Dedicated Space “to deliver high throughput to aircraft and dedicate specific channels to each aircraft so that they’re not having to share,” she explained. 

Norwegian’s equipment onboard its existing fleet was relatively easy to replace, and it wasn’t necessary to remove a lot of hardware, Walker noted. This enabled the company to leverage capital that they already invested in the aircraft. 

Another factor in the partnership renewal was that Anuvu’s team deeply understood the goals and the culture at Norwegian Air Shuttle, and they had developed close ties with each other throughout the long-term partnership. “Of course, you can have all the culture and people that you like, but if you can’t give them what they need for their passengers that will carry them forward for years, you’re not going to win,” she added.

Anuvu’s strategy of designing systems to meet the needs of their customers sets them apart from others in the in-flight connectivity market. “Other competitors look at things like, ‘What assets do I have on my books right now that I have to find other users for? How can I make what I have available? How can I get the airline to shift what they need to match what I have to offer?’” 

“We look at it the other way: How can we take what the customer wants and design a custom solution for them?” Walker shared. “As the largest lessor of satellites in the mobility space and the fact that we are dedicated to mobility, we uniquely understand those things and can really hear what our customers need.”

“I think it’s the customization that we offer airlines to meet their needs, our ability to knit together exactly what they need in terms of satellite capacity and coverage, that also sets us apart—and our look at using hybrid solutions. What do we offer today, how can that be used in the future, and how do we take LEO, GEO, MEO, and knit them all together to meet the needs of the customer?”

Anuvu is launching its first two MicroGEO satellites from Astranis Space Technologies soon. (Photo: Anuvu)

Anuvu announced earlier this year that, to support development of its constellation, it will lease ground-station infrastructure and antennas from Telesat. Anuvu is also working with MicroGEO satellite builder Astranis Space Technologies on deployment of its all-digital GEO constellation.

Norse Atlantic Airways began featuring in-flight entertainment supplied by Anuvu last year. Southwest Airlines has also invested in Anuvu’s in-flight connectivity network, putting $2 billion into upgrades for its in-service Boeing 737 fleet. New orders will all have Viasat’s Ka-band IFC service installed.

The post Norwegian Air Shuttle Renews Partnership with Anuvu for IFC Upgrades appeared first on Avionics International.

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Startup Aerovy is Developing Software to Manage Electric Aircraft Charging

Startup Aerovy Mobility has developed software solutions to assist in planning and setting up charging infrastructure for electric aircraft. (Photo: Electro.Aero)

Aerovy Mobility, a startup newly launched by Purdue University graduate students, is developing software that company founders said will help airports and other entities to plan for and manage electric aircraft charging for advanced air mobility (AAM) vehicles.

Aerovy software tools help airports and vertiports plan for, and remotely manage, electric aircraft operations,” Aerovy CEO Nick Gunad, a Ph.D. candidate in Purdue’s School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, told Avionics International. “Airports are seeking to overhaul energy infrastructure to support the increase in energy demand—electrification of both ground mobility and aviation.”

Aerovy’s planning software tool called AATLAS will help airports and future vertiport operators identify optimal sites for powering electric aircraft and the necessary assets, including battery storage systems and hydrogen generators, needed at those sites, according to the company. An operational software called VEMS will provide a “live energy management tool that manages the energy that flows through onsite assets and coordinates with the grid and aircraft fleets, minimizing operating cost over time,” Aerovy stated when announcing its launch.

“The AATLAS planning software identifies locations that would attract the most demand so operators would be able to make back their investments quickly,” Gunady explained. “It also assesses the expected usage over time, simulating charging events minute by minute throughout the day. We can size power generation and storage assets, which enables end users to reduce dependence on the grid.”

Gunady added that the VEMS operational software “automatically connects users with all their assets at infrastructure sites, including chargers and off-grid energy systems. Customers will have full control over their infrastructure site without physically needing to be there.”

Gunady said in an interview that “energy will be the greatest barrier to scalability for AAM,” adding: “However, many of the physical assets required for future AAM charging will be similar, if not the same core technologies behind ground mobility charging assets. Aerovy’s software tools allow these assets to be [deployed with] adequate preparation and analysis of expected energy requirements.”

He added the barrier toward electric charging of aircraft is not charging stations, but the assets needed to operate those stations. “AAM charging infrastructure can be installed relatively quickly, but currently a lead time exists for procurement of the necessary assets for charging,” Gunady said. “Aerovy has several hardware partners to provide an end-to-end solution for anyone interested in airport electrification.”

Aerory said it has established partnerships with Altaport, an automation software company based in Salt Lake City; Electro Aero, an electric aviation charging technology company based in Perth, Australia; Greenstar Aviation Partners, an investment firm based in New York; and Skyportz, a developer of vertiport infrastructure based in South Yarra, Australia.

“The company has several memorandums of understanding in place,” Aerovy said.” It is looking to raise funds by the end of 2023.”

Purdue said it is “connected” with the startup.

The post Startup Aerovy is Developing Software to Manage Electric Aircraft Charging appeared first on Avionics International.

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Airbus UTM Develops “Fairness Engine” to Enable Equitable Access to Airspace

Ensuring fairness with airspace access is key to enabling uncrewed aircraft and other advanced air mobility vehicles to operate in the same ecosystem as conventional aircraft. (Photo: Airbus UTM)

Key to enabling the integration of uncrewed aircraft systems, or UAS, is establishing equitable access to airspace. Dr. Scot Campbell, Head of Airbus UTM, explained in an interview with Avionics International that they are developing the concept of a fairness engine as part of their research. Essentially, the engine will assign priority fairly to UAS operators and service providers when traffic management conflicts arise.

Airspace fairness has been a central focus for Airbus UTM since its inception. Dr. Campbell remarked that the media focuses more on early implementation of UTM (UAS traffic management) and standards, but managing fairness in the airspace needs to be a priority for the industry.

Airbus UTM has collaborated with multiple organizations to investigate airspace fairness, including Metron Aviation (acquired by Airbus in 2011) and MIT. According to Dr. Campbell, they have found throughout these collaborations that for managing uncrewed air traffic, “you can’t apply what has been done traditionally in the crewed air traffic management arena, where fairness in traditional air traffic management is largely done ‘first-come, first-served.’” The air traffic controller gives priority to the first aircraft that arrives, limiting the chance of midair collisions. 

“When we started looking at the uncrewed traffic management architecture and concept, [the first-come, first-served approach] isn’t something that can be directly applied.” He explained that this is because one of the fundamental services involved in UTM is strategic deconfliction. The direct application of this approach for UTM would be “first-requested, first-served.” Someone that plans an operational intent, then, would be given first priority in the airspace.

“You can imagine a number of situations where that isn’t ideal,” Dr. Campbell said, “where you can have a lot of operators that plan in a certain area, not allowing other operators to plan in the same area. Then, there’s not necessarily a guarantee that that operator might even fly. We saw this as a big reason to really understand fairness in the UTM airspace and come up with solutions, to envision ways that fairness can be managed and controlled.”

Though the eventual goal would be to establish a service that controls airspace fairness, it’s necessary to first understand what fairness is and how it can be measured. “How can you have a system that looks at the data exchange within UTM and identifies where there might be inequities in the system?” he asks. “You have to make sure the system is recording the right metrics. That has been an early focus of our work.”

“It’s also really important that we think about this now as UTM systems are being implemented, because we want to make sure, as UTM is rolled out—even at the bleeding edge of this—that we’re monitoring and identifying fairness so that if things aren’t fair, we can do something about it.”

It’s vital to record data such as operators that did not end up flying after making a plan, those that start operating later than their scheduled time, and whether or not they fly the entire volume they had reserved. This information will provide an initial look at how the system is actually being used. “We want to have fairness across the system and to make sure that the airspace is being used as efficiently as possible, but also as equitably as possible,” Dr. Campbell explained.

In an ideal world, a system for UTM would take into consideration how frequently each operator uses a given airspace and adjusts the prioritization equitably. The system should not favor a certain type of use case over another, for example. This becomes more complex when taking into account that use cases such as package delivery or urban air mobility will not always plan operations in advance. 

“The fairness engine will monitor various metrics and give priority to the operators so that we are, to the best of our ability, creating a very accessible airspace,” he said.

Dr. Campbell discussed the decentralized nature of UTM systems and the potential impact on managing fairness. “When you decentralize the system with UTM, you have a set of third-party service providers that all provide services to a different set of operators. Those third-party service providers all need to coordinate their planning so that the flights are deconflicted.”

“One third-party service provider can’t [enable] fair and equitable operations within its umbrella. It is really important, in this decentralized architecture, to have a layer that is essentially providing monitoring of fairness across the different service providers. This doesn’t have to be a centralized service; it can be a set of common rules that each of the service providers follows.”

The post Airbus UTM Develops “Fairness Engine” to Enable Equitable Access to Airspace appeared first on Avionics International.

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