B'lore firm rolls out product for aircraft safety

Bangalore-based technology firm Accord Software and Systems has launched a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) solution targeting the flight safety systems market.

The company is eyeing a business of around $175 million over the next five years from NexNav, the solution which packaged in a box to fit into any aircraft.

According to JM Sundaresan, CEO and managing director of the privately-held company, the solution can be used as a primary navigation sensor in all types of aircraft. An aircraft which is equipped with NexNav flight safety solution can avoid collision in flight and on the ground.

NexNav is an air-borne global positioning system sensor that tracks satellite signals and provides accurate position, velocity and time.

The product received certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) of the US on November 1 this year. Accord has partnered US-based Spectralux Corporation for manufacturing the product.

It has already bagged three lead customers including aircraft manufacturer Eclipse Aviation, and avionics original equipment manufacturers Chelton Flight Systems and L3 Communications. They expects to sell around 25,000 units of the product, which has been priced at $7,000 per unit.

According to Sundaresan, NexNav supports precision approach landing without any airport-specific equipment. "The aircraft can fly to a height of up 60 metres from the runway using NexNav," he said.