Orolia: Distress locator enhances aviation safety

Airbus will install Orolia’s Ultima-DT emergency locator transmitter on its aircraft. (Photo: Airbus)

This fall, Orolia’s Ultima-DT was certified as an emergency locator transmitter with distress tracking (ELT-DT) by Cospas-Sarsat, an international humanitarian search-and-rescue system. Cospas-Sarsat uses space-based technology to detect and locate model 406 emergency beacons carried by ships, aircraft or individuals venturing into remote areas — often inaccessible by GNSS signals. The system consists of a network of satellites, ground stations, mission control centers and rescue coordination centers that work together when a 406 beacon is activated.

I spoke about the certification with Christian Belleux, director, Aviation & Defense Beacons for Orolia.

Matteo Luccio (ML): Has Orolia produced aviation safety products in the past?

Christian Belleux (CB): Orolia has been supplying emergency locator transmitters for aviation since 1995 on a very large number of platforms to OEMs and airlines for use on commercial aircraft — Airbus, Boeing, Embraer and Bombardier aircraft. Orolia is also participating in industry groups creating standards (Eurocae, RTCA, ARINC) or contributing to the progress of the Cospas-Sarsat search-and-rescue satellite system as a member of the Expert Working Group.

ML: What are the key challenges in making an aviation ELT?

CB: With new requirements for lithium batteries and new regulations introducing distress tracking, recent times have been rich in innovation. We were granted the first ETSO certification ever for an ELT-DT and the same product, the Ultima-DT, was also the first ELT to be certified for its lithium battery.

ML: What did Cospas-Sarsat certification of the ELT-DT entail?

CB: The ELT-DT is a new type of beacon with a new communication protocol. The labs performing the certification tests must be approved by Cospas-Sarsat before we can apply. Then the Cospas-Sarsat organization and infrastructure must be updated to receive and consider the new ELT-DT protocol. The Cospas-Sarsat certification of our ELT-DT means that it complies with the performance requirements described in Cospas-Sarsat standards and can communicate with the infrastructure.

ML: What is new about an ELT-DT?

CB: The principle of an ELT-DT is to activate in flight before a crash, as opposed to a legacy ELT that is activated by the shock of a crash. This means that the aircraft and the ELT-DT can analyze the health of the aircraft and its parameters, and activate if a catastrophic event is about to occur. Once activated, the ELT-DT transmits a high-rate distress signal that makes it possible to track the aircraft until it crashes. The ELT-DT contains its own GNSS receiver that is independent the aircraft’s navigation system.

ML: Did you cooperate closely with one or more avionics manufacturers to develop your device?

CB: Orolia was in very close contact with Airbus, which designed the avionics components.

ML: Do you already have contracts with airlines or aircraft manufacturers besides Airbus for the Ultima-DT?

CB: We have several contacts with aircraft manufacturers and airlines interested in the Ultima-DT.

ML: When will the first batch of the ELT-DT / Ultima-DT be operational?

CB: We started flight tests months ago at Airbus and delivered production units. Airbus soon will announce its first delivery of an aircraft equipped with the Ultima-DT.