As expected, uAvionix, a manufacturer of avionics for the UAV segment, announced this week four new ADS-B-related products that it hopes will ignite what have been lackluster sales of this equipment as the NextGen mandate looms. The California-based company says it plans to leverage potential volume in the UAS market to drive down ADS-B prices for manned general aviation aircraft while also producing products of much smaller physical size. However, for the time being, uAvionix’s products are limited to experimental and light sport aircraft, not certified aircraft.
The four products announced ahead of the Sun ‘n Fun show in Lakeland include the EchoUAT, SkyFYX, SkyEcho and EchoESX. The EchoUAT is 978 MHz UAT transceiver with ADS-B In and Out. Although it meets the requirements of TSO-C154c, it’s not a TSO’d box. It does meet the requirements spelled out in FAR 91.227 to fly with ADS-B in the National Airspace System. At $999, it lacks an onboard GPS source so unless an owner has a suitable WAAS GPS source in the aircraft, the installation will also require uAvionix’s SkyFYX, a WAAS GNSS sensor that sells for under $500. The EchoUAT has integrated WiFi and will support popular tablet apps for IOS and Android.
For European and UK pilots, uAvionix announced the SkyEcho, a portable CAP 1391 Electronic Conspicuity product that the company says is the first approved portable ADS-B Out. So-called EC devices are low-powered units intended to make aircraft visible to each other in areas that lack ATC surveillance. It’s similar in concept to the U.S. Traffic Awareness Beacon system (TABS) meant to light up TCAS and other traffic awareness systems. SkyEcho will be shown at the Aero trade show in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in two weeks.
The EchoESX, at $1699, will be available later this month and marks uAvionix’s entry into the crowded Mode S ADS-B transponder market. It’s designed to link directly with popular EFIS products found in light sport and experimental aircraft and meets the 2020 ADS-B mandate. AVweb will provide more coverage on these products during Sun ‘n Fun.
