Honeywell and Vertical Aerospace have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to address the technical, regulatory and business challenges of the emerging urban air mobility segment. The companies plan to integrate Honeywell avionics, navigation, fly-by-wire and other products and advanced technologies that leverage the company’s technologies into future Vertical Aerospace vehicles for use in urban environments.
The agreement will provide Vertical Aerospace’s vehicles with Honeywell’s latest flight systems for urban air mobility. These include Honeywell’s new compact fly-by-wire system, which offers the critical redundancy needed to meet the safety and certification requirements for electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, all in a package the size of a paperback book. Urban air mobility vehicles promise to reduce urban congestion and provide new ways for people to travel around cities and rural areas.
“Overly congested, polluted cities continue to be an issue, and to combat this urban air mobility will be a key feature of cities of the future,” said Stephen Fitzpatrick, CEO and founder of Vertical Aerospace. “Combining Honeywell’s technology and experience in next-generation avionics with Vertical Aerospace’s aircraft will allow us to make carbon-free, on-demand air mobility a reality.”
Honeywell has extensive aviation hardware and software offerings, including advanced navigation technologies and flight controls. The company’s experience can help companies of all sizes meet the regulatory requirements for urban air mobility.
“Honeywell’s expertise in integrated avionics, systems integration, certification and manufacturing, combined with Vertical Aerospace’s capabilities in developing eVTOL vehicles, will spur the advancement of urban air mobility,” said Carl Esposito, president of electronic solutions, Honeywell Aerospace. “Through years of working with the Federal Aviation Administration and the European Aviation Safety Agency, Honeywell is well equipped to help Vertical Aerospace navigate the civil airspace landscape and develop their vehicles.”
This is the third agreement Honeywell has signed with urban air mobility companies to develop avionics, navigation, flight control systems, connectivity and other products for their vehicles. Building on their MOU, Honeywell and Vertical Aerospace are working towards a formal agreement by mid-2019.
Urban air mobility is an aviation industry term for on-demand and automated passenger or cargo-carrying air transportation services, typically flown without a pilot. Urban air mobility services will bring new and innovative ways for people to travel around cities and rural areas, while reducing congestion.
