Tag: Safran

Simulating signal threats with Safran Electronics & Defense

In universities across the world, theory lays the foundation, but in the field, realism builds true expertise.

For students studying GNSS engineering, textbooks and simulations alone are no longer enough. Tomorrow’s engineers need to use the same applications and work with the same complex environments that professionals face in the real world. This means using tools that generate actual RF signals, not just software abstractions — tools that recreate urban canyons, interference, jamming, spoofing and satellite dynamics with precision.

Safran has established the Minerva Academic Partnership Program, an initiative that brings its Skydel GNSS Simulation Engine to qualified educational institutions worldwide.

A Modern, Software-Defined Approach to GNSS Simulation

At the heart of this initiative is the Skydel simulation engine, a software-defined GNSS simulator. Built to leverage commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware, Skydel eliminates the need for proprietary hardware. It delivers the full spectrum of satellite constellations — as well as LEO ones — and frequency bands. By integrating Skydel in their projects, researchers now have the tools to pursue ambitious ideas with confidence, such as:

■ Designing and testing custom signals or constellations not yet in existence

■ Simulating real-world scenarios that can include both environmental and man-made interference

■ Integrating and testing additional sensors and platforms through open-source plug-ins and hardware-in-the-loop setups

■ Conducting rigorous resiliency testing against jamming and spoofing in a controlled, repeatable environment without real-world risk

■ Building their own simulator with existing hardware components around Skydel

Empowering the Next Generation of PNT Innovators

Through the Minerva program, Safran provides full-feature Skydel licenses for faculty and student use, creating an environment where learning and innovation thrive. This initiative not only eliminates the barrier to entry but also fosters collaboration between academia and industry –— fueling a new wave of GNSS advancements.

A Global Initiative

Today, Minerva includes more than 80 member institutions and boasts a growing portfolio of peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

“This momentum highlights the real-world impact of the program and its role in driving local research excellence and fostering a vibrant, collaborative international GNSS community,” said Pierre-Marie Leveel, program director of PNT simulation at Safran Electronics & Defense. “Safran Electronics & Defense’s Minerva program is more than just a software — it’s a mission to democratize GNSS simulation and nurture the next generation of PNT researchers. As innovation becomes more critical to national sovereignty, transportation, and space exploration, empowering students and researchers has never been more vital.”

Elevating GNSS Simulation

The evolution of Safran Electronics & Defense’s GNSS simulators — across both software and hardware — has been shaped by the growing demands of users and the broader market.

“The demand for multi-vehicle and multi-antenna scenarios has never been higher, and the same can be said for interference simulation,” said Pierre-Marie Le Veel, program director of PNT Simulation at Safran Electronics & Defense.

To address these challenges, Safran’s GSG-7 and GSG-8 Gen2 simulators are engineered to handle a range of applications, from basic to advanced GNSS jamming and spoofing resiliency testing.

The GSG-7 simulator is designed for location-aware applications and systems that depend on navigation or timing. With high-end performance — featuring a 1,000 Hz simulation iteration rate, high dynamics, real-time synchronization, and all-in-view satellite signal simulation — the GSG-7 is well-suited for development and integration projects that demand high performance and extensive constellation licensing. It supports multi-constellation and multi-frequency GNSS simulations and can be configured to operate with all current and upcoming GNSS signals.

Meanwhile, the GSG-8 Gen2 is the latest iteration of Safran’s GSG-8 model, offering flexible simulation capabilities for any device that relies on GNSS signals. Built on Safran’s Skydel-based simulation platform, the GSG-8 Gen2 helps users model scenarios.

Powered by high-end GPUs, the GSG-8 Gen2 offers reliable and precise GNSS signal testing. It can simulate thousands of signals, run multiple instances at once, and introduce jamming and spoofing to evaluate system resilience. The turnkey system features a redesigned chassis for greater connectivity, including six front-facing, high-quality RF outputs, a combined output covering the full GNSS bandwidth, and the same high-end simulation iteration rate as the GSG-7. This allows users to quickly get up and running with complex simulation requirements.

“The market is also demanding realism,” Le Veel said.

All Safran simulators are powered by the Skydel Simulation Engine, which is updated quarterly. Each release introduces new features, signals, and enhancements, enabling more authentic simulations and offering the flexibility to create virtually any GNSS testing scenario.

Staying Ahead of Market Changes and Signal Threats

The recent increase in signal interference threats has driven the demand for enhanced positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) resilience, leading to the broader use of both conducted and over-the-air (OTA) testing. The anticipated deregulation of controlled reception pattern antenna (CRPA) technology also is expected to open the door for civilian markets to perform testing.

“Throughout the past few years, Safran Electronics & Defense has massively revamped our approach to the Wavefront platform and now offers the GSG-Wavefront for those testing CRPA antennas against jamming and spoofing threats,” Veel said.

The ability to safeguard GNSS networks from jamming and spoofing attacks has never been more vital. Achieving this level of resilience calls for a GNSS simulator that can generate dedicated RF signals for evaluating the effectiveness of CRPA architectures.

Safran’s GSG-Wavefront, featuring a shared local oscillator (LO) design, stands out as a field-proven, off-the-shelf solution for CRPA receiver testing. It has a customizable platform that offers upgradable options powered by Skydel — the company’s GNSS simulation engine.

Le Veel added, “We are working hard to keep up with demand in both the defense and civilian markets.”
In addition, Le Veel noted that Safran’s GSG-Anechoic is attracting attention from users who work with anechoic chambers, thanks to its multiple, independent RF outputs, automatic antenna mapping, and built-in calibration features for delay and power loss.

Safran Electronics & Defense supports a wide array of users in both the civilian and defense sectors, spanning aerospace, critical infrastructure and transportation. In recent years, however, the company has seen its fastest growth in the New Space market. Safran’s simulators are used in a range of cutting-edge applications, including satellite navigation, low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellations, and rocket launch and landing systems.

“We are proud that the flexible tools and features we have included in Skydel are being used in these incredibly robust applications,” La Veel said.

A challenge for most GNSS simulation suppliers is ensuring compatibility and coherence with a wide range of GNSS receivers. La Veel shared that Safran Electronics & Defense is in a unique position, as it also designs and manufactures its own receivers, such as the newly released Skylight.

“Additional challenges can arise when developing new signals or constellations, such as the newest LEO ones, said La Veel. “Our close partnerships with both Xona Space Systems and TrustPoint have allowed us to overcome these challenges.”

A single GSG-8 Gen2 simulator from Safran Electronics & Defense can generate more than 2,000 signals without the need for additional hardware. This capability is essential when modeling legacy signals, multipath effects, jamming and spoofing scenarios, or even LEO-constellations.

Safran simulators support all legacy signals, including GPS, Galileo, BeiDou, GLONASS, NavIC, QZSS and SBAS, across all bands and security features such as M-code, PRS and Galileo OSNMA. The systems also offer compatibility with emerging LEO constellations, including Xona’s PULSAR X1 and X5, as well as TrustPoint. Custom Signals and Custom Constellation features offer users the flexibility to create entirely new signals and satellite constellations, or to modify existing configurations.

“It is de rigueur these days for companies to claim or incorporate AI into their solutions. In addition to using AI for tropospheric modeling based on real-world data, Safran Electronics & Defense has also taken a different approach to using AI in GNSS simulation,” Le Veel said.

He added that the company’s upcoming demonstration at ION GNSS+ 2025 will reveal Skydel AI, a new tool designed to make scenario creation and parameter setting as simple as writing an email. “The amount of people who can easily now test their prototypes, products or systems will dramatically increase as the steep curve to learn GNSS simulation is flattened.”

September 23, 2025
Safran, QinetiQ to deliver advanced anti-jamming PNT capabilities for UK armed forces

Safran Electronics & Defense and QinetiQ have entered a strategic partnership to deliver sovereign and resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions for the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence. The collaboration addresses today’s urgent need for trusted PNT capabilities in increasingly challenging and GNSS-denied operational environments.

By integrating QinetiQ’s Q40 GNSS receiver with Safran’s SecureSync time server, the partnership offers advanced protection against jamming, spoofing and other adversarial electronic warfare threats. The joint solution supports multi-signal reception and delivers reliable, coherent synchronization for mission-critical military operations — from strategic headquarters to frontline forces.

The SecureSync time server. (Photo: Safran)

This next-generation, sovereign capability strengthens the UK’s operational advantage, ensuring continuous access to secure timing and navigation, even under electronic attack. The solution is designed to adapt and expand, accommodating future threats and supporting the full spectrum of defence operations.

“The Q40 provides navigational assurance in environments where jamming, spoofing and electronic attacks are ever-present,” said James Willis, chief executive UK Intelligence, QinetiQ. “By pairing it with Safran’s SecureSync, we are giving UK forces a trusted, sovereign solution that ensures precise timing and navigation data remains available when it matters most.”

The Q40 GNSS receiver. (Photo: Qinetiq)

“In the current context of evolving threats and contested environments, guaranteeing sovereignty in navigation and timing is more critical than ever for national defence,” added Maxime Gorlier, director of PNT Business Unit for Safran Electronics & Defense. “This partnership enables UK armed forces to maintain full independence and sovereignty, even when facing sophisticated electronic warfare tactics. Together, we are committed to providing future-proof PNT solutions that strengthen the UK’s resilience and strategic autonomy.”

The partnership leverages both companies’ sustained investment in customer-focused research, development and innovation, and demonstrates their shared commitment to providing robust, secure and resilient PNT solutions.

September 19, 2025
PNT by Other Means: Satelles

An exclusive interview with Dr. Michael O’Connor, CEO, Satelles. For more exclusive interviews from this cover story, click here.

How many Iridium satellites carry your system?

Mike O’Connor

Iridium has 66 active satellites. There are also several spares on orbit. The satellites were all launched between 2016 and 2018, so they are all relatively new. They cover the entire globe, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so they have universal coverage.

How will your constellation grow?

Today, our Satellite Time and Location (STL) service is offered only over the Iridium satellites. There’s nothing else that we’re discussing publicly. It could expand over time to other satellites. The signal and the capability are flexible. In terms of how Iridium could change, that’s more for Iridium to discuss than us.

Who makes chipsets that can use your system? And how does that work?

We work with partners. For example, with Adtran (through their Oscilloquartz product line), Jackson Labs (now VIAVI Solutions), Orolia (now Safran Trusted 4D). Companies like that provide the solutions that are favored by critical infrastructure providers today. We provide them either reference designs or effectively referenced designs. They ultimately integrate our STL capability into their solutions. We help them to do that. They can use our reference designs or create their own custom designs based on our reference designs. So, that’s the model that we use.

Is the STL receiver on top of a traditional GNSS receiver and passing certain data to it?

STL is used in two ways. In some cases, users are trying to do positioning or timing in an environment where GNSS signals will not reach, such as indoors, or are otherwise unavailable. In those cases, it wouldn’t be overlaid with GNSS, it would just be a standalone solution.

In many other cases, the goal is having a solution that is resilient to an outage, interference, jamming, spoofing, those sorts of things. In that case, the receiver card that might be provided by one of our partner companies would have both GNSS and STL capabilities and would take the best of both worlds. If GPS is jammed or there’s interference, then the STL signal alone would be sufficient to do PNT. However, whenever both signals are available and can be authenticated, then it would use both and leverage the benefits of having two systems.

Does the location calculation take place in a GNSS chip or separately in the STL?

The chain to take measurements of the STL satellite signals is different. It’s not a single chip that’s measuring both satellites, it’s ultimately two chips that are making those measurements. Then how the position calculation and the integration of those signals is done is left to our partners. In some cases, it is proprietary to the partners that are doing that integration work. It can be integrated loosely or tightly.

When it’s just the STL chip, is that usually for timing purposes, or both timing and location?

Generally, an STL-only solution is best suited for timing. It’ll do timing at about 100 ns, depending on what kind of oscillator is being used and the exact configuration of the product.

What positional accuracies can you achieve?

Generally, in the 10 m to 20 m range, depending on the product configuration.

Most of the correction services refer to variables that are not relevant to your system.

That’s right. There are other techniques, such as integrating with other sensors, that can improve the accuracy. The primary uses for STL today are in delivering timing in environments where GNSS is not able to do so today, such as for national critical infrastructure. That’s been our commercial focus as a company.

Who currently uses the STL receivers? Which markets are you targeting first?

Most of our users are in the data center space. Stock exchanges around the world are also using our service as a source of resiliency, and now wireless infrastructure. So, think 5G infrastructure. As 5G networks are rolling out, they need about five to ten times more nodes to cover a geographic area than 4G networks. GNSS has been used for years to time 4G networks, but most 5G network sites — such as femtocells and picocells — are indoors or in places where GNSS is challenged. We deliver that timing service indoors, outdoors, everywhere. So, those are the three commercial markets where we have the highest adoption rates.

You still have plenty of room for expansion in that market before you must start thinking about expanding into other areas.

Yes, there’s plenty of room for expansion into those markets, so I wouldn’t say that they’re fully saturated. We are also looking into other opportunities. We’ve seen interest in the energy area. I think the industry is a little bit slower moving, but the need is ubiquitous, right? We all recognize that a black swan event in our society would really represent a bad day and we want to avoid that.

There are several companies across the industry that are trying to solve that important problem. Everyone involved in critical infrastructure that requires a timing reference — which is anything that is associated with a network activity — should have an alternative or augmentation to GNSS as a timing source. It’s great that we’re seeing tailwinds from the U.S. Government, from the European Union, and from others to try to encourage that adoption. However, there’s still a long way to go before we really feel that that’s been sufficiently covered.

What, if any, have been the major developments in the past year or so?

One of the most interesting things that has happened over the last year and a half has to do with our capability regarding STL. We’ve been demonstrating more publicly, and with more independent authorities, the capabilities, resiliency, and operational characteristics of our service.

For example, the JRC study.

It started with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) a couple years ago, but there’s also been some work done by the Department of Homeland Security and with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). We’ve been working directly with NIST to do some validations, as well as with UK and European organizations. They have subjected STL to rigorous third-party, hands-off technology evaluations. They confirmed the timing accuracy specifications to UTC and validated the operational characteristics of STL, such as the resilience in the absence of GNSS, the ability to receive the signal indoors, and having global availability.

We’re delighted to see the third-party operational evaluation of things that we’ve known all along but are now being evaluated and confirmed by these government sources. Beyond that, of course, there are always going to be technology advancements, both with our company and with other companies.

The real focus of industry right now is on adoption. All the providers of these capabilities ultimately need adoption in industry to remain active and viable. These are good people trying to do the right thing to protect our society. There are many great technology solutions out there to do it. Hopefully, many of these solutions are adopted in the near term. That’s what our focus has been. Our focus has not been on squeezing an extra five nanoseconds out of performance, although, of course, we’re always doing that. I think the important focus of industry should be driving adoption. There are solutions available today, including ours, that are ready to go and are being proven operationally in use.

Can you say more about the study by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC)?

If you look at the summary, all these technologies that were demonstrated worked. Both the DOT report and the JRC report effectively summarize that there are multiple technologies out there today that are ready to go.

July 5, 2023
Online Exclusive: PNT by Other Means
Image: Safran Federal Systems

Due to the limited space available in print, I was able to use only used a small portion of the interviews I conducted for our July cover story. For full transcripts of them (totaling more than 12,000 words) see below:
- Safran Federal Systems (formerly Orolia Defense & Security) makes the VersaPNT, which fuses every available PNT source — including GNSS, inertial, and vision-based sensors and odometry. I spoke with spoke with Garrett Payne, Navigation Engineer.
- Xona Space Systems is developing a PNT constellation consisting of 300 low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. It expects its service, called PULSAR, to provide all the services that legacy GNSS provide and more. I spoke with Jaime Jaramillo, Director of Commercial Services.
- Spirent Federal Systems and Spirent Communications are helping Xona develop its system by providing simulation and testing. I spoke with Paul Crampton, Senior Solutions Architect, Spirent Federal Systems as well as Jan Ackermann, Director, Product Line Management and Adam Price, Vice President – PNT Simulation at Spirent Communications.
- Oxford Technical Solutions develops navigation using inertial systems. I spoke with Paris Austin, Head of Product – New Technology.
- Satelles has developed Satellite Time and Location (STL), a PNT system that piggybacks on the Iridium low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. It can be used as a standalone solution where GNSS signals will not reach, such as indoors, or are otherwise unavailable. I spoke with Dr. Michael O’Connor, CEO.
- Locata has developed an alternative PNT (A-PNT) system that is completely independent from GNSS and is based on a network of local ground‐based transmitters called LocataLites. I spoke with Nunzio Gambale, founder, chairman, and CEO.
July 5, 2023
Safran’s White Rabbit outperforms APNT industry requirements in EU Commission Joint Research Center Test

Image: Safran Navigation & Timing

The Safran Navigation & Timing critical infrastructure solution, White Rabbit, has received high praise in a report published by the European Commission (EC) Joint Research Center (JRC) that evaluates the effectiveness of alternative positioning, navigation and timing (APNT) platforms.

For more than eight months, the commission studied a variety of available solutions to assess the performance of APNT demonstration platforms in a variety of situations where there is signal loss, and a backup system is necessary. The selected solutions were evaluated for precise and robust timing and positioning services in challenging indoor and outdoor environments.

Safran’s White Rabbit is a high-accuracy time and frequency distribution protocol, which combines precise time protocol (PTP) packets with the frequency base of Synchronous Ethernet (SyncE) to provide sub-nanosecond time transfer accuracy over an optical fiber. While the results of the test campaign showed that all APNT platforms under evaluation demonstrated performances in compliance with the requirements set, White Rabbit excelled in its performance.

Safran demonstrated White Rabbit’s ultra-accurate time transfer over fiber optics, its high-performance time generation, resiliency (based on failover and holdover), interoperability, and user-friendly monitoring capabilities.

As stated in the report, Safran demonstrated, “the ability to handle multiple master clock inputs with voting and seamless switchovers. Interconnecting as many NMIs as possible, with possible local atomic clock backups, would result in a very robust and resilient time architecture, independent from GNSS across Europe. The ability to provide resilient and accurate time through the EU communication infrastructure, ideally on the nanosecond level, would also enable robust positioning, using a combination of signals.”

A copy of the full report can be downloaded here.

To learn more about Safran’s White Rabbit technology, click here.

June 14, 2023
Safran joins Eurodrone program

Safran Landing Systems has signed a contract with Airbus Defense and Space to provide the wheels and brakes system work package for the Eurodrone program, which is designed to outfit France, Germany, Spain and Italy with a highly autonomous medium-altitude reconnaissance UAV.

Safran Landing Systems was selected to design, develop, qualify and produce the work package and to supply the braking control module that will be developed by Safran Electronics and Defense, the company’s partner on this program.

The contract comprises 60 shipsets.

Safran Electronics and Defense has also claimed a contract from Leonardo to develop and supply the high-performance Euroflir 610 electro-optical (optronic) system for the program.

Production of the first prototype will begin in 2024 with a first delivery planned by the end of the decade.

May 11, 2023
Safran Electronics and Defense releases defense PNT system

NAVKITE on board a vessel. (Image: Safran Electronics and Defense)

Safran Electronics and Defense and Fuscolab, the innovation lab for the French Marine Corps, released a resilient position, navigation, and timing (PNT) system, NAVKITE. It provides navigation integrity and performance over long periods of time and under demanding circumstances on land and at sea.

NAVKITE meets operational requirements for the French Navy Commandos and will be integrated in Embarcation Commando a Usage Multiple Embarquable (ECUME) — a transportable, multirole, semi-rigid boat purpose-designed for commandos and other special forces.

NAVKITE’s capabilities depend on the coupling of Safran’s Geonyx M inertial navigation system with the VersaSync time/frequency server. Together, they handle the transmission of PNT data to ensure mission continuity.

The first sea trials of the system, conducted by Fuscolab and the Ponchardier commando unit, demonstrated NAVKITE’s performance under operational conditions. It was then successfully deployed in February in the joint services exercise Hemex, during phase two of Orion, a large-scale operation for resilient, innovative and interoperable armed forces focused on high-intensity conflicts.

March 30, 2023
Safran develops inertial micro-sensor strategy

An example of a MEMS. (Photo: Safran Colibrys)

Safran Electronics & Defense is taking a major step forward in its inertial navigation strategy by grouping two subsidiaries, Safran Colibrys (Switzerland) and the recently acquired Sensonor (Norway,) under a single banner, Safran Sensing Technologies.

The similarities in expertise, market position, customers and technologies result in clear synergy between these two companies, which produce accelerometers, gyrometers and inertial measurement units (IMUs). The creation of Safran Sensing Technologies shows Safran’s commitment to developing its micro-sensor business through these two companies.

The STIM380H inertial measurement unit. (Photo: Sensonor)

The goal is to jointly offer a wider and comprehensive range of inertial technologies including vibrating sensors, optics and micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) for applications in aeronautics, defense, space and other industries.

The two subsidiaries have already delivered more than 20 million MEMS sensors to the aeronautics, defense, space, transport, mobility and industry sectors. For example, MEMS are used in the control accelerometers of automobile airbags, in high temperature accelerometers for guiding drill heads, and in seismic sensors measuring the structural health of buildings or civil engineering works. They are also used in IMUs for civil, military and space vehicles.

This change is part of a broader Safran Electronics & Defense strategy designed to strengthen the company’s position in the positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) market.

The two entities have been renamed Safran Sensing Technologies Norway AS and Safran Sensing Technologies Switzerland SA, respectively.

May 3, 2022
Safran to acquire resilient PNT company Orolia

Safran has entered into exclusive discussions to acquire Orolia from Eurazeo alongside the founders and management. Orolia is a world leader in resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions that improve the reliability, performance and safety of critical civilian, military and space operations, including in harsh or altered GNSS environments.

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Headquartered in Paris, France, Safran has a global presence, with 76,000 employees and sales of 16.5 billion euros in 2020.

Orolia has a broad portfolio of technologies across the resilient PNT value-chain with full system capabilities, and is a provider of PNT equipment, simulation and test solutions. Orolia is also providing emergency locator beacons for commercial aviation and military applications.

The acquisition “represents a unique opportunity for Safran and Orolia to extend their resilient PNT solutions, through their remarkable complementarities,” Safran stated in a press release. “With this addition, Safran will be able to build a world-leading position in all aspects of PNT, inertial navigation, time and GNSS receivers and simulators, covering aerospace, governmental and high integrity applications.”

Safran intends to accelerate the development of Orolia under the leadership of CEO Jean-Yves Courtois, and in full collaboration with its teams. “The combination of Orolia and Safran will create a PNT world leader with capabilities that will be unsurpassed in depth and breadth,” Courtois said. “Our perfect complementarity in terms of technology expertise, market presence and geographic footprint will allow us to push further resilient PNT to the next level and to offer our government, aerospace and commercial customers the most advanced solutions they need for their critical operations. Orolia will contribute especially through its world-leading positions in timing, GNSS simulation and emergency location technologies, and through its strong presence in the U.S. market. We are looking forward to working with our new Safran colleagues to advance our common vision.”

Orolia is expected to generate revenues of more than EUR 100 million in 2021 and has approximately 435 employees with facilities in France, the United States, Switzerland, Spain and Canada.

The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The transaction is subject to the usual regulatory approvals. Orolia will be consolidated within Safran’s Equipment & Defense division upon closing, expected around mid-2022.

December 8, 2021
Safran and Orolia launch global resilient PNT partnership

Safran and Orolia are partnering to offer the latest resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) solutions for military forces, especially in GNSS-denied environments.

This partnership will provide mission-critical equipment for air, land, sea and space programs in environments where GNSS signals are not available or degraded. Whether the outage is unintentional or intentional (jamming, meaconing or spoofing), the Safran-Orolia partnership will provide an alternative to GNSS-dependent military systems.

The Safran-Orolia team will offer military forces an unparalleled convergence of PNT capabilities, including Orolia’s portfolio of precise timing references and PNT sensor-fusion technology, as well as Safran’s proven defense inertial navigation solutions. Initial program priorities include navigation warfare (NAVWAR), along with mobile and fixed PNT solutions.

“Today’s military operations are increasingly mobile and global, with mission priorities that often bring them into territories where GNSS jamming and spoofing are becoming common threats,” said Orolia CEO Jean-Yves Courtois. “We’re proud to introduce this unique resilient PNT military partnership to better protect and enable mobile operations for NATO and allied countries worldwide.”

“In a world full of uncertainty, our partnership will provide autonomous and sovereign PNT solutions to Armed Forces facing harsh GNSS denied environments,” said Safran Electronics & Defense Chief Executive Officer Martin Sion.

Orolia’s PNT solutions improve the reliability, performance and safety of critical, remote or high-risk operations. With locations in more than 100 countries, Orolia provides virtually failsafe GNSS and PNT solutions to support military and commercial applications worldwide.

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aircraft propulsion and equipment, space and defense markets. Safran has a global presence, with more than 92,000 employees and sales of 21 billion euros in 2018.

June 26, 2019
Bell Helicopter unveils full-scale air taxi at CES 2019

Bell Helicopter unveiled a full-scale vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) air taxi vehicle during CES 2019, held in Las Vegas.

The air taxi, named Bell Nexus, is powered by a hybrid-electric propulsion system and features Bell’s signature powered lift concept incorporating six tilting ducted fans designed to safely and efficiently carry passengers.

Bell Nexus means the nexus of transport and technology and of comfort and convenience. Nexus captures the long-sought-after vision of quick air travel with a unique in-flight experience, keeping passengers connected to their lives and saving valuable time.

The Nexus team consists of Bell, Safran, EPS, Thales, Moog and Garmin, who are collaborating on Bell’s VTOL aircraft and on-demand mobility solutions. Bell is leading the design, development and production of the VTOL systems; Safran is providing the hybrid propulsion and drive systems; EPS is providing the energy storage systems; Thales is providing the Flight Control Computer (FCC) hardware and software; Moog is developing the flight control actuation systems; and Garmin is integrating the avionics and the vehicle management computer (VMC).

Autonomous Pod Transport (APT). Alongside the debut of Bell Nexus, Bell will feature the Autonomous Pod Transport (APT). The APT family varies in payload capability that can serve many mission sets such as medical, law enforcement, offshore missions and on-demand delivery services. Bell is expanding into a new industry to show the full spectrum of our capabilities and the real-world challenges APT will address, Bell said in a press release.

Future Flight Controls. Bell’s Future Flight Controls simulator was a new experience for CES participants this year. Bell is actively collecting data to help shape the future flight controls of aviation. Data from the simulators will be used to determine what actions and interfaces are intuitive to the average potential operator and what prior experiences and abilities contribute to these opinions.

Urban air travel is coming closer to the masses through recent advancements in technology and software. The critical last step is designing a flight-control ecosystem that allows individuals to safely and efficiently operate urban air vehicles.

In 2018, Bell provided the world a glimpse into the air-taxi passenger experience, and this year, attendees could see the full vision.

January 12, 2019