Honeywell will provide its Anthem integrated flight deck for Supernal’s five-seat eVTOL. On Monday, the advanced air mobility division of Korean car maker Hyundai confirmed it will use the always-on cloud-based avionics suite that Honeywell introduced in October 2021 as a versatile platform that can be adapted for multiple aircraft types.
Supernal (Booth 2400F) expects the Anthem system to deliver the connectivity it needs to integrate an array of complex technology it will be using for the SA-1 eVTOL vehicle that it wants to get into commercial service in 2028. Anthem will also underpin the company’s efforts to achieve high degrees of autonomy in the way the aircraft is operated.
The SA-1 is the third application for the Anthem flight deck, which has already been selected by rival eVTOL aircraft developers Lilium and Vertical Aerospace. Honeywell said the system can be readily adapted to support a wide variety of business aircraft and airliners.
Anthem will allow pilots to share data via the internet and also to access software while online inflight. Before departure, pilots can plan flights and configure the avionics suite offline by accessing the Honeywell Forge platform on any smart device. A secure server stores information about the aircraft and the flight crew can access this remotely.
In the future, the Anthem system will enable so-called simplified vehicle operations that will reduce the level of experience required for eVTOL aircraft pilots. Honeywell (Booths 2400B and 4100) said this transition will be a first step toward fully autonomous operations in which eVTOL operators would manage their aircraft remotely.
“Supernal is leveraging synergies between [the] automotive [industry’s] high-rate manufacturing capabilities and aerospace’s high certification standards to build the foundation for everyday air vehicle transportation,” said Jaiwon Shin, CEO of Supernal and president of Hyundai Motor Group. “We are pleased to work with aerospace leader Honeywell to mature advanced air mobility avionics systems and certify our eVTOL aircraft to the highest commercial aviation safety standards.”
Last year, Honeywell set up its new Urban Air Mobility and Unmanned Aerial Systems business unit to focus on the needs of new aircraft developers. Stéphane Fymat, the new division’s v-p and general manager, said Anthem will “change the way aircraft are piloted.”
This week at NBAA-BACE 2022, Supernal is exhibiting a cabin concept to show visitors what the eVTOL experience will be like for passengers. The company said it expects to start the FAA’s type certification process for the SA-1 in 2024. And earlier this year, it announced plans to introduce a hydrogen-powered eSTOL aircraft.
Initially, the SA-1 will be flown by a pilot and will seat four passengers, although the company plans to eventually switch over to autonomous flights with a six-passenger version of the vehicle. It will be designed to cruise at up to 180 mph and an altitude of 1,000 to 2,000 feet, with a range of about 60 miles on a single charge, with a recharge expected to take no more than five to seven minutes.
This week Supernal also selected BAE Systems to develop a fly-by-wire flight control system for its new aircraft.