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SkyNaute, an inertial navigation system developed by Safran Electronics & Defense, is entering commercial aviation on board the Airbus A220. By combining inertial navigation with hybridized GNSS data, it ensures the aircraft maintains a precise and reliable trajectory in all circumstances.
Already selected for military aircraft, helicopters and drones operated by several European armed forces, SkyNaute demonstrates the full strength of Safran’s dual-use technologies. It now brings commercial air transport a decisive advantage from the defense world: resistance to interference. SkyNaute maintains a highly accurate trajectory even when GNSS signals are unavailable, jammed or spoofed.
This capability has become essential for civil aviation, which faces a growing number of such disruptions in several regions of the world. This performance relies on proven technologies, first and foremost the hemispherical resonator gyroscope (HRG) patented by Safran Electronics & Defense. With no mechanical parts subject to wear, this sensor offers unmatched compactness and high resilience in harsh environments.
SkyNaute’s reduced weight, size and power consumption mean simpler installation and weight savings on board for airlines, while meeting the most stringent safety requirements of commercial air transport.
“Seeing SkyNaute take its place on board the Airbus A220 is a source of immense pride for our teams: for the first time, our inertial navigation system will fly on an airliner. This is a strong signal for French industrial expertise. We sincerely thank Airbus for its trust,” said Benjamin Declety, head of the Avionics Global Business Unit at Safran Electronics & Defense.
This expertise is rooted in Montluçon, in central France, where the HRG is fully developed and industrialized. In June 2026, Safran Electronics & Defense announced a €120 million investment to expand and modernize the site, tripling its HRG production capacity from 10,000 to 30,000 units per year by 2032.
With this selection, SkyNaute confirms its ability to adapt to aircraft with very different integration constraints. It has already been installed on helicopters subject to strong vibrations and wide temperature variations, on military aircraft exposed to shocks and jamming attempts, and on drones, which require high navigation accuracy and strong resistance to electromagnetic interference.
