Safran equips Eve Air Mobility's eVTOL with SkyNaute inertial navigation system

Safran Electronics & Defense has been selected to supply its next-gen SkyNaute inertial navigation system for the electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft developed by Eve Air Mobility, an Embraer subsidiary focused on urban air mobility solutions.

As part of this program, Safran is equipping each aircraft with two SkyNaute systems. SkyNaute is a hybrid inertial navigation system based on Safran's patented HRG (hemispherical resonant gyroscope) Crystal technology. Designed to meet the most demanding requirements of aeronautical applications, this navigation system stands out for its high navigation accuracy, integrity, and proven in-service reliability.

Thanks to this next-generation architecture, SkyNaute delivers high performance and robust navigation continuity, including in environments where Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals may be unavailable, degraded, or jammed. This capability is a key advantage for urban air mobility operations, which require high levels of safety and reliability.

Initially developed to address the demanding requirements of both defense and civil aviation applications, SkyNaute technology reflects Safran's dual-use approach to next-generation inertial navigation.

Benjamin Declety, Head of Avionics Global Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defense, said: "With SkyNaute, Safran Electronics & Defense is now leveraging its inertial navigation expertise to serve the next generation of civil aviation. We are proud to support Eve Air Mobility in the development of its eVTOL and contribute to the emergence of new urban air mobility solutions."

Johann Bordais, CEO of Eve Air Mobility, said: "Integrating an advanced navigation solution like SkyNaute is essential to maximizing the safety, reliability and performance of our eVTOL. Leveraging Safran's renowned expertise in inertial navigation, we strengthen our aircraft's architecture and reinforce our commitment to delivering a robust, certifiable solution for the urban air mobility market."

Eve Air Mobility recently completed the hover & low‑speed flight phase in the flight test campaign of its full‑scale eVTOL prototype at Embraer's Gavião Peixoto test facility in the State of São Paulo, accumulating nearly two and a half hours of flight time. This technological milestone marks a major step in the development of electric and urban aviation, paving the way for a new generation of cleaner and more sustainable mobility solutions.