Embention, Sagetech Avionics partner to offer full situational awareness during unmanned flights

July 2, 2020 | AUVSI News

UAS components supplier Embention has partnered with miniature aviation transponders developer and manufacturer Sagetech Avionics.

By partnering with Sagetech and adding the company’s transponders, Embention will now be able to offer a full certified situational awareness during the piloting of UAS.

“We’re thrilled to announce a partnership with Embention to provide the smallest, most durable avionics suite for drone manufacturers,” says Sagetech Avionics CEO Tom Furey.

“The integration of reliable systems like Embention’s Veronte Autopilot and Sagetech Avionics’ XP or MX transponders with ADS-B, ensure the safe integration of unmanned aircraft in congested airspace, over long-range, beyond line of sight (BLOS), and at night.”

A standard surveillance technology, Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) enables other aircraft and Air Traffic Control ground stations to track an aircraft’s position. With ADS-B Out, each aircraft periodically broadcasts information about itself through an onboard transponder. This information can include identification, current position, altitude and velocity.

Installing a receiver (ADS-B In) allows a manned or unmanned aircraft to get a clear picture of traffic in their surrounding area. Sagetech Avionics’ MX platform is the only UAS transponder with integrated ADS-B In and Out technology.

“ADS-B technology is the go-to method of ensuring safe utilization of airspace,” Furey explains. “We are pleased to make this capability simple and easy to use through plug-and-play compatibility with advanced autopilots like the Veronte Autopilot. We’re excited to provide advanced safety systems and world-class flight control in an integrated suite of low size, weight and power airborne electronics.”

Embention says that one of the reasons it chose Sagetech transponders was because of the company’s proven compatibility with the Veronte Autopilot, the flagship technology of Embention. Described as a “miniaturized, high reliable, DO178C &DO254 compliant avionics system,” Veronte Autopilot is designed for advanced control of unmanned systems.

A small, compact system that contains a state-of-the-art suite of sensors and processors combined with LOS and BLOS M2M datalink radio, Veronte Autopilot can seamlessly be equipped with Sagetech transponders to provide the user with Detect &Avoid capabilities that automatically generate a repealing force surrounding the position of the aircraft. This repealing force will prevent the UAS from entering restricted airspace and prevent collisions with other aircraft.

“The use of transponders and autopilots in compliance with aviation standards is a decisive step for drone integration within the controlled airspace,” says Javier Espuch, Business Development Manager at Embention.

Sagetech transponder’s unique miniature size and weight, combined with the small design of the Veronte Autopilot, significantly reduce the overall weight of a drone, while increasing the fuel capacity and time on station in comparison to more traditional avionics equipment.