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Boeing and Shield AI Explore Bringing AI-Enabled Autonomy to Military Aircraft

Boeing will collaborate to explore Shield AI’s capabilities in autonomous pilot technology and artificial intelligence. (Photo: Shield AI)

Boeing on Wednesday said it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Shield AI to explore leveraging the latter company’s capabilities in artificial intelligence and autonomy for autonomously piloting aircraft to military platforms.

Shield AI’s key software is Hivemind, which is an AI-enabled pilot for military and commercial aircraft that doesn’t require GPS, waypoints or communications to make decisions. This capability means that aircraft equipped with Hivemind can operate in highly contested and GPS-denied environments, and fly in swarms.

“Integrating Boeing aircraft with our AI pilot would redefine what large aircraft, crewed or uncrewed, could do,” Brandon Tseng, president and co-founder of Shield AI, said in a statement. “As the world leader in aerospace technology, Boeing has been exceptionally easy to engage with, so we are excited to expand our scope of work to co-develop, productize and bring to market the world’s best AI pilot for large aircraft.”

“Integrating Boeing aircraft with our AI pilot would redefine what large aircraft, crewed or uncrewed, could do.” – Brandon Tseng, president and co-founder of Shield AI (Photo: Shield AI)

Shield AI also offers some unmanned aircraft system (UAS) products, including the medium-size V-Bat series that can take off and land vertically as well as fly horizontally like fixed-wing aircraft, and Nova, a small UAS. Hivemind has been used to fly both UAS and an F-16 fighter.

“Boeing continues to leverage talent from across the enterprise to make great strides in autonomous capabilities and programs in recent years,” Steve Nordlund, vice president and general manager for Boeing’s Air Dominance organization, said in a statement. “Collaborating with Shield AI, the leader in AI pilots, will accelerate our ability to deliver these capabilities to the warfighter.”

Boeing’s Phantom Works advanced research, development, and prototyping division will manage the collaborative effort.

This article was originally published by Defense Daily, a sister publication of Avionics International. It has been edited. Read the original version here >>

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Universal Avionics To Fix, Update Dassault FalconEye Systems

Universal Avionics announced this week that it has added repair services for Dassault’s FalconEye product line at its Part 145 Repair Station in Arizona. (Photo: Dassault/Universal Avionics)

Arizona-based Universal Avionics has added repair services for Dassault Aviation’s FalconEye Combined Vision System (CVS) at its Part 145 Repair Station in Tucson.

Universal CEO Dror Yahav told Avionics International that the company, a subsidiary of Ebit Systems, is deploying “very sophisticated” equipment to diagnose and fix problems with FalconEye systems and has the knowledge and facilities to repair the six-sensor camera-driven CVS, typically on a five-day timeframe.

One critical factor is to have the necessary equipment to recalibrate FalconEye systems before returning them to in-service operations, he explained: “We have six different images that in the end have been fused into one big image and … when you touch the camera [for repair purposes], the whole thing just goes out of balance. So, you need to make sure that all six sensors are aligned.”

It is not just repair work that will be performed, Yahav noted, pointing to regular upgrades needed. “The FalconEye continues to evolve and we have new software improving the camera, solving other issues,” he said. “We are getting units here that need to be upgraded, but also units that come here for a problem or malfunction. In any case, every unit that comes in needs to be fully calibrated all over again [before it is returned] because whenever we touch it, then we need to make sure that it’s fully calibrated.”

Yahav said the FalconEye CVS is a level up in technology compared to more traditional flight vision systems. “Our traditional cameras are one-sensor cameras,” he explained. “Because they are one-sensor cameras … you don’t really need to align it to anything. So, it’s much more complicated than the cameras we are currently maintaining.”

Pictured is the Dassault FalconEye Combined Vision System (CVS). (Photo: Dassault/Universal Avionics)

Universal said in a statement announcing FalconEye’s addition to its repair portfolio that the Dassault system “uses synthetic, database-driven terrain mapping with multi-sensor camera inputs to provide pilots with enhanced situational awareness through its heads-up display.”

According to Dassault, FalconEye displays a high-definition, synthetic 40-degree horizontal by 30-degree vertical field of view “with no tunnel vision effects.” The six sensors allow images to be produced from “near-visible and infrared spectrums,” Dassault said in a description on its website, noting that one of the six sensors “can detect LED runway lighting before our naked eyes are able to.”

Universal said its FalconEye repair capabilities give North American operators of Falcon family business jets “local and comprehensive support” for the CVS. Dassault reported it booked 64 net Falcon jet orders in 2022.

The post Universal Avionics To Fix, Update Dassault FalconEye Systems appeared first on Avionics International.

Skyryse Introduces IFR Capable Robinson R66 Aircraft

Skyryse announces plans to bring a single-pilot fly-by-wire VTOL to market, providing full IFR capability. (Photo: Skyryse)

Recently, Skyryse announced plans to certify a variation of the Robinson R66 helicopter for instrument flight rules (IFR). This helicopter, equipped with improved systems, will make general aviation safer and more affordable, with the costs of purchasing and operating this system only a fraction of pre-existing programs with the same purpose.

Skyryse is an aviation technology company headquartered in Los Angeles, California, that aims to reduce and eventually eliminate general aviation fatalities through a widespread adoption of a universal flight deck. Its system FlightOS helps to make flying more accessible and safer for all, and its recent improvements and applications promise to bring improved safety and reliability to certain sectors of the aviation industry.

FlightOS, Skyryse’s automated flight control system, is available for a multitude of aircraft specifically in the general aviation sector. It strives to bring unprecedented levels of safety, mainly through making the program easy to use and intuitive through the adoption of simpler controls. This always-on and always-engaged system has the ability to maintain critical flight details like altitude, heading and velocity, even in inclement weather with poor visibility or hazardous conditions.

The need for improved systems that can perform these functions is critical to the safety and reliability of the industry. As Dr. Mark Groden, founder and CEO of Skyryse, explained, “Cockpits and flight control systems have not changed much over the last century. We’ve reached a point where OEMs, pilots, federal agencies, and general aviation customers are looking for, and even demanding, changes that increase safety and reduce pilot error. At Skyryse, we believe it’s a moral imperative to deliver on this mission. We strongly believe that if this technology had been available sooner, we would have saved more than a thousand lives, including Kobe Bryant.”

Pictured above, a Robinson R44 modified by Skyryse makes a fully autonomous flight above Los Angeles. (Photo: Skyryse)

One of the challenges involved with the introduction of more sophisticated and reliable systems are the associated costs. As of 2023, the average rotary airframe equipped with IFR capability cost somewhere around $5 million. In addition to this sky-high cost, these aircraft also cost more than $1,500 to operate hourly. Meanwhile, the Skyryse Robinson R66 will be only a fraction of this cost, and will be over 50% cheaper to operate while still offering similar levels of safety.

Skyryse believes the success of this aircraft and FlightOS will have benefits that extend to other segments of the aviation industry, namely helping urban air mobility (UAM) to find reliability and thus practical application in major metropolitan areas. UAM operations are often greatly impacted by weather. In fact, in 2019 when Skyryse ran a mass air taxi operation in Los Angeles, it found that 25% of the time operations had to be grounded due to inclement weather. Through implementing IFR on rotorcraft, Skyryse believes reliability for UAM will improve, opening the door for practical application across the world.

Aviation companies are already demonstrating interest in Skyryse’s innovations. Air Methods, an air medical transport company, has already signed an agreement with Skyryse for the retrofit of over 400 units (mostly single-engined helicopters). As this IFR technology is introduced in more flight decks, Skyryse hopes to improve safety and reliability across the aviation industry.

The post Skyryse Introduces IFR Capable Robinson R66 Aircraft appeared first on Avionics International.

Airbus Helicopters Partners With the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation

In a new partnership, Airbus Helicopters will explore the use of eVTOL aircraft for emergency medical services with the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation. (Photo: Airbus)

Airbus Helicopters and the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation have formed a new partnership to explore the use of electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for air medical services. The news was shared in an announcement during the HAI Heli-Expo event this week in Atlanta, Georgia. The partners will determine operational requirements for conducting air medical missions in Norway. These requirements will then be integrated into the configuration of the CityAirbus NextGen, the eVTOL aircraft that Airbus is developing.

Two objectives of the partnership are to reduce emergency response times for air medical services in Norway and to improve patient outcomes. The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation and Airbus Helicopters will create a comprehensive roadmap to achieve these objectives for specific scenarios and to improve the performance of the Norwegian Emergency Medical Services system.

“This approach could be further expanded in the region through collaboration with other countries to optimise operations beyond the national healthcare system,” according to the announcement from Airbus.

The expertise in aviation that Airbus brings “is a major asset to help us combine different aircraft for medical services,” commented Hans-Morten Lossius, Secretary General of the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation.

“Helicopters remain essential to perform EMS missions, whilst eVTOLs can bring additional capabilities to support first responders, for instance by transporting medical specialists to accident scenes or organs from one medical site to another,” explained Lossius.

The Norwegian Air Ambulance, Norway’s national Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) operator, utilizes a fleet of H135 and H145 models.

Balkiz Sarihan, Head of Urban Air Mobility at Airbus, commented that the company is looking forward to working as a strategic partner of the foundation. “The Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation has always been at the forefront of medical innovation, most recently with dedicated research to integrate a CT scanner into a five-bladed H145 helicopter,” Sarihan stated.

Through this new partnership, Airbus will be able to “further develop the exact missions where our eVTOL’s capabilities would contribute to protecting citizens and making sure they can access effective healthcare in Norway,” she added.

Evaluating the efficiency of Norway’s emergency medical system as it exists today will be the first step in creating an ecosystem that incorporates eVTOL aircraft.

The post Airbus Helicopters Partners With the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation appeared first on Avionics International.

BETA Opens Engineering Hub in Montreal

Electric aircraft developer BETA Technologies has opened a new engineering hub in Montreal with a focus on structural engineering and materials processing. (Photo: BETA)

BETA Technologies announced the opening of an engineering hub in Montreal, Canada, this week. Structural engineering and materials processing will take place at the new location. BETA is developing a fully electric aircraft, the ALIA, which is designed to perform short-haul and regional flights.

More than 50 employees based in Montreal will be working at the new engineering hub. Their focus is in the areas of advanced design, flight controls, data science, and flight sciences in support of the design, certification, and manufacturing of the ALIA eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft.

Kyle Clark, BETA’s Founder and CEO, explained that the company’s long-term plan has always included Montreal. “Electrifying aviation is a big and important problem to solve, and it’s going to take a lot of really smart people to get there,” Clark stated. “We have already added a highly skilled team to our ranks in Montreal, and we look forward to continuing to tap into the wealth of experience and talent in the region as we grow.”

Pictured above is BETA’s new office in Montreal. (Photo: BETA)

Jean Sebastien Leclerc, Aerostructures Engineering Lead at BETA, remarked on the news of the new office and Montreal’s reputation in the global aerospace ecosystem. “Our team members are excited to bring their experiences from recent OEM certification programs to this future-focused aviation technology,” said Leclerc. “Our connection to green energies and passion for aviation marries well into BETA’s mission to turn the corner on climate change.”

Alexandre Lagarde, Vice President of Foreign Investments, Montréal International, also commented on the announcement. “Greater Montréal has been a key player in the aerospace industry since its inception in the 1940s. Prominent projects such as BETA’s contribute to our local ecosystem and its work to decarbonize the industry,” Lagarde shared.

Last month, BETA and Blade Air Mobility completed the first test flight of a piloted eVTOL aircraft in the greater New York City area. During the test flight, the eVTOL flew alongside a conventional helicopter to demonstrate the difference in noise profiles.

The post BETA Opens Engineering Hub in Montreal appeared first on Avionics International.

Textron Recieves Special Airworthiness Certificate for Aerosonde Unmanned Aircraft System

The FAA issued a special airworthiness certificate to Textron Aviation to conduct civil unmanned aircraft operations at Textron’s Unmanned Systems Service and Support Center in Virginia. (Photo: Textron)

Textron Aviation recently received a special airworthiness certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform civil unmanned aircraft operations in Blackstone, Virginia. These special certifications will allow the company to further test its unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in a convenient location, thanks to its proximity to training facilities.

An airworthiness certificate issued by the FAA is a document that grants an individual or company permission to operate an aircraft within the United States. These documents can be further divided into two different classifications: Standard Airworthiness Certificates and Special Airworthiness Certificates. Standard certificates are issued to aircraft involved in things like acrobatic, commuter, and transport activities.

Meanwhile, special certificates are issued for a multitude of aircraft operation categories, including primary (aircraft flown for personal use), restricted (aircraft flown for purposes including agriculture, aerial surveillance, and weather control), and experimental (which involves research and development, crew training, exhibitions, and unmanned aircraft systems).

The airworthiness certificate Textron Aviation received is a special certificate (abbreviated as SAC-EC). It will allow the company to fly its Aerosonde MK 4.7G uncrewed aircraft system. With the ability to operate land-based and sea-based operations, the Aerosonde Small Unmanned Aircraft System uses features like full motion video (FMV), voice communications relay, signals and communications intelligence, 3D mapping, and automatic identification systems (AIS) to offer a variety of benefits to its customers. The aircraft has a wingspan of 12 feet and a range of 75 nautical miles, all while boasting a small footprint that does not require alterations to infrastructure on ships to accommodate it.

With this certification, Textron will operate research and development and training missions with its UAS. In addition to flight authorization, the company will be able to operate these flights conveniently close to the Unmanned Systems Service and Support Center in Blackstone, Virginia.

“Our Aerosonde system achieves an equivalent level of safety compared to conventional aircraft. We’ve backed that up with more than 600,000 hours of flight time and over 3,000 aeronautical research flights.” – Wayne Prender of Textron Systems (Photo: Textron)

Wayne Prender, Senior Vice President of Textron Systems’ Air Systems business, highlighted his enthusiasm for and the benefits of this certification, explaining, “This is a significant achievement because of what it says about the safety of operating unmanned systems in the NAS. We’ve shown that our Aerosonde system achieves an equivalent level of safety compared to conventional aircraft. We’ve backed that up with more than 600,000 hours of flight time and over 3,000 aeronautical research flights conducted at KBKT airfield to support integration in the NAS.”

Obtaining this special certification required extensive work from Textron. In order to issue the certificate, the FAA must conclude that operations will not jeopardize public safety. Proving this meant Textron had to submit several vital documents, including items like safety checklists and operating manuals while hosting an onsite safety evaluation of every part of the UAS. With the FAA’s approval, Textron hopes to work with its operators to perform Visual Line of Sight training along with a variety of research missions in Class D, E, and G airspace.

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Demand for Airbus H160 Helicopters Continues to Grow

The growing demand for Airbus Helicopters’ H160 model continues in 2023. North American customers have already placed orders for more than 12 H160 helicopters. (Photo: Airbus)

ATLANTA, Georgia — The growing demand for Airbus Helicopters’ H160 model continues in 2023. North American customers have already placed orders for more than 12 H160 helicopters. The model is also gaining interest in private and business aviation, according to the announcement by Airbus Helicopters.

The company also shared that plans have been made to add the first H160 full flight simulator in North America. The simulator, which will be located in Texas, will serve as a training tool for pilots as soon as 2025. This is the result of efforts by Helisim—a joint venture between Airbus Helicopters and Thales—which installed the first H160 full flight simulator in France in 2020.

This week, Airbus Helicopters also delivered the first ACH160 to The Helicopter Company (THC) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. THC has placed orders for six of the aircraft.

Additionally, Airbus Helicopters has partnered with Genesys Aerosystems to develop an IFR (Instrument Flight Rules) capability for the H125. The capability, which is expected to be available in the second half of 2024, will include an upgraded cockpit, redundant hydraulic and electrical systems, and a new autopilot, according to the announcement.

“Airbus Helicopters continues to experience a growing demand for H160 helicopters, with more than a dozen H160s already ordered by North American customers to date to fulfill a range of missions.” (Photo: Airbus)

Bruno Even, CEO of Airbus Helicopters, remarked during a press conference this week that flight hours recorded in 2022 were slightly higher than 2019. He sees positive momentum in the helicopter market for both the civil and military sectors.

According to Even, the uncertainty of the environment—including the situation in Ukraine, inflation, and supply chain issues—”illustrates how important it is not only to manage growth and implement action to be able to grow but also to be resilient and robust in this context.”

Airbus Helicopters expects the civil market to continue growing by 20 to 25% over the next five years. The company claimed 54% of the market share in the civil market last year. Meanwhile, the military market has seen strong performance in North America and Western Europe, which are both achieving pre-pandemic levels.

“2023 will be a critical year to meet the very strong market demand for the H160 helicopter,” Even commented. “The H175 illustrates the positive momentum we see in the oil and gas market.”

“Airbus Helicopters has launched the development of an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) capability for the H125 in partnership with Genesys Aerosystems.” (Photo: Airbus)

Bruno Even listed the four strategic priorities for Airbus Helicopters as they look to the future: customer loyalty, innovation, sustainability, and defense/security.

Romain Trapp, CEO of Airbus Helicopters Inc., also spoke at the press conference taking place during the HAI Heli-Expo 2023 event this week. “We saw our customers flying much more in 2022 compared to 2019,” he noted, adding that flying hours had increased by 10%.

“Historically, we book two thirds of our helicopters on the single engine side and one third on the twin,” said Trapp. “Last year, it was almost 50/50. We saw a clear shift in the market. We reached $1.1B in revenue, with growth of 10% compared to 2021.” He also remarked that a third of their 87 bookings in 2022 came from new customers.

The post Demand for Airbus H160 Helicopters Continues to Grow appeared first on Avionics International.

FAA Grants Waiver to Matternet for Remotely Piloted Drone Operations

The drone developer Matternet can now conduct operations of up to 20 aircraft with one remote pilot at its California test site, thanks to a waiver granted by the FAA. (Photo: Matternet)

An FAA waiver was recently granted to Matternet that allows the company to operate up to 20 aircraft with a single remote pilot. The waiver only covers operations at Matternet’s test site in Pittsburg, California.

Matternet has designed an on-demand delivery platform that integrates its M2 Drone, the Matternet Station, and its Cloud Platform. According to the company, the M2 Drone is the first delivery drone in the world to receive type certification from the FAA. Matternet also received a Production Certificate in November.

The drone developer has conducted commercial operations in Switzerland since 2017, and in the U.S. since 2019—in coordination with UPS.

Andreas Raptopoulos, Founder and CEO of Matternet, spoke with Avionics International about the FAA waiver and the company’s current efforts.

“Our focus so far has been healthcare, where we believe that we can bring tremendous benefits to healthcare systems, their diagnostics, processing, pharmacy distribution, and supply chains,” he explained.

The M2 Drone has a payload of 4.5 pounds and a range of 12.5 miles. This covers use cases for healthcare, where most items are lightweight. As the company expands into e-commerce, a payload of 4.5 pounds will also make sense. Raptopoulos noted that 86% of shipments from Amazon weigh less than five pounds. He added that 80% of the last-mile delivery market is located in urban and suburban areas.

“Our focus is to build the smallest, safest, quietest, most precise aircraft that we can build, to serve this last-mile delivery problem. And we’re starting from healthcare, with a view to expand to e-commerce and other verticals.”

Following the FAA waiver that was recently granted, Raptopoulos commented, “We now have the ability to produce aircraft and put them into the National Airspace System. We can fly over people, we can fly over highways—the question now becomes how to reach attractive economics. And when we operate our aircraft, we are interested in operating autonomously with supervision from a remote operating center, where we run a piece of software that allows a single pilot to control multiple aircraft.”

Matternet’s test site in California is located northeast of San Francisco. Raptopoulos noted that the waiver granted by the FAA limits operations to this test site. At the site, “We really push the operational limits of our aircraft,” he shared. “You see multiple flying autonomously. We really want this aircraft to have the minimum amount of human supervision because the cost of pilots involved in the operation is a strong determinant of the overall cost of service.”

The team is focused on conducting daily missions and continuing to push the operational envelope as well as testing out new models.

The post FAA Grants Waiver to Matternet for Remotely Piloted Drone Operations appeared first on Avionics International.

MRO Provider Storm Aviation Gains MRO Tooling Calibration Accreditation

Storm Aviation, part of FL Technics, announced that its calibration laboratory in London-Stansted has been approved by United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). (Photo: Avia Solutions Group)

MRO provider Storm Aviation has gained UK Accreditation Service (UKAS) approval for its aircraft tooling calibration laboratory at London Stansted Airport.

Storm head of sales Ian Jones told Avionics International in an interview that “anything that touches the aircraft” for maintenance work is included in the approval. “Every tool needs to be calibrated,” he said.

UKAS assesses companies based nationally and internationally agreed standards for calibration services, among other activities.

UK-based Storm conducts aircraft line maintenance and base maintenance for its own aircraft, crew, maintenance, and insurance (ACMI) aircraft—it has a fleet totaling 175 units—as well as passenger and cargo airlines around the world.

The Stansted calibration lab is used by Storm’s mechanics, but will be made available to other MRO providers, Jones said.

But outside MRO companies and airlines, such as European low-cost carrier Ryanair, could not utilize Storm’s Stansted tooling accreditation service absent UKAS approval. “Ryanair, a massive airline, one of Europe’s largest, has their base right next door to us at Stansted,” Jones said. “They would love to give us their calibration work. But until we can demonstrate that we have this UKAS approval … it was something that was a little bit beyond our reach. [UKAS approval represents a] deeper accreditation that we’ve now achieved, so it opens a lot of doors in terms of the wider airline and MRO community.”

“Being UKAS accredited gives our customers the added confidence that their tools and equipment are being calibrated to the highest level.” (Photo: Avia Solutions Group)

Storm added in a statement: “With safety being at the forefront of our business, being UKAS accredited gives our customers the added confidence that their tools and equipment are being calibrated to the highest level, whilst meeting UK and international standards.”

While Storm’s tooling calibration services are based at Stansted, the company also “can offer a mobile service for certain items and tools and equipment” to airlines and MRO providers at airports and facilities that are driving distance from Stansted. “So, that means that one of our highly experienced engineers can actually hop in the mobile calibration unit truck and actually perform those calibration services at the location of our customers’ choosing,” Jones explained.

Storm said the UKAS accreditation means it meets the ISO/IEC 17025 standard, the requirement for a calibration lab’s competence. “In many cases, suppliers and regulatory authorities will not accept tests or calibration results from a laboratory that is not accredited,” the company explained. “Storm Aviation’s calibration laboratory has met this requirement and is now authorized to perform accredited calibrations in accordance with its scope of work.

The post MRO Provider Storm Aviation Gains MRO Tooling Calibration Accreditation appeared first on Avionics International.

Ocean Explorer Signs Agreement for Use of Beacon Platform

Embraer signed a commercial agreement with Ocean Explorer, a helicopter operator, for the use of Beacon—the maintenance coordination digital platform. (Photo: Embraer)

Brazilian helicopter operator Ocean Explorer recently signed an agreement with Embraer for the use of its Beacon platform. This deal will help Ocean Explorer to better manage its fleet and maintenance resources, while allowing Embraer to bring its Beacon program to a new segment of the industry.

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced the launch of Beacon about four years ago. The program’s main focus is to help clients connect with needed maintenance resources, all while addressing the challenges posed to an industry that struggles from a shortage of licensed aviation professionals. Specifically, Embraer made Beacon’s focus on assisting with inefficiencies in aviation maintenance pipelines—namely, by offering communication tools and systemized resources for clients. The program has since earned the support of various companies across the aviation industry. Just last month, Embraer signed an agreement with Vortex Aircraft Services for the use of Beacon.

Beacon is home to a network of maintenance resources, including technicians and operators. It serves as an online hub that shares data and expertise, which allows it to help its clients increase shared knowledge and thus productivity levels across their organizations.

Ocean Explorer is the most recent aircraft operator to demonstrate interest in Embraer’s program. The Brazilian helicopter management company just signed a commercial agreement for the use of Beacon. As an operator of an Airbus ACH160, Ocean Explorer hopes to take advantage of the faster return-to-service times the program provides in addition to improved coordination and connection to resources.

As Daniel Braz, General Manager at Ocean Explorer, explained, “Beacon is the ideal solution for Ocean as we seek for a smarter and digital maintenance operation. With Beacon, our team can communicate with maintenance centers, engine maintenance representatives, and other external partners in real-time without the trouble of searching for information on emails and phone calls. We need to make sure the helicopter is always available, so keeping information safe and accessible to everyone involved is critical.”

This contract marks a milestone in Embraer’s release of Beacon. Ocean Explorer will be the first helicopter operator to utilize the platform, demonstrating the applicability this product has to a variety of segments in the industry. Given that in Brazil alone there are over 2,000 daily helicopter flights (and 400 helicopters based in Sao Paulo), Embraer remains optimistic that similar companies will be attracted to Beacon for its easy accessibility and convenience.

The global aviation industry has been plagued with labor shortages and operational challenges as demand across all sectors recovers from the pandemic. Ocean Explorer’s new deal with Beacon indicates how important coordination and resource management have become to the industry.

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