Skyband Systems has begun production of its M100 avionics unit, which combines Iridium’s positioning, navigation and timing service with onboard inertial sensing to support aircraft navigation when GPS and other GNSS signals are disrupted. The Kirkland, Washington-based company is preparing the first installation on an Embraer Praetor 600 with certification partner AeroMech, targeting FAA approval before the end of 2026.
The M100 uses a cryptographically protected PNT signal from Iridium’s 66-satellite low-Earth-orbit constellation and fuses it with inertial data. It connects to an aircraft’s existing Iridium antenna, then presents supplementary position and timing information through an electronic flight-bag application and cockpit annunciator. The system is also intended to alert crews to suspected GPS jamming or spoofing.
Skyband has designed and validated a custom printed-circuit-board assembly and completed end-to-end testing across 17 flights. Qualification testing was scheduled for October, while the first supplemental type certificate was targeted for November. Production of complete units does not yet indicate certification or broad fleet availability.
The initial market is business aviation, with Embraer’s Praetor 500 and 600 and Legacy 450 and 500 among the aircraft being considered. The M100 is designed to complement existing navigation equipment, with expansion towards commercial aviation planned after the first business-jet approvals.