Honeywell Aerospace has introduced Kestrel, a compact navigation system developed to support Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) operating in environments where GPS availability cannot be guaranteed due to signal degradation, jamming or spoofing.
The new system addresses the need for navigation technology that can be integrated into smaller, lower-cost and more efficient platforms. Kestrel brings together Honeywell Aerospace’s HG3900 MEMS Inertial Measurement Unit, an M-code receiver and a multi-GNSS receiver in a smaller embedded GNSS/INS package.
The platform is intended to meet the specific needs of Group 2 and 3 collaborative combat aircraft and loitering munitions platforms. It can also be used on crewed aircraft where size, weight, power and cost are important factors.
For military aircraft operating in contested or GNSS-denied environments, the ability to continue navigating without assured GNSS access is a key operational advantage. Kestrel supports this by providing continuous, self-contained estimates of position, velocity and attitude independently of external signals.
According to Honeywell Aerospace, Kestrel is 40 percent smaller and lighter than similar navigation products currently available. The company also states that the system can deliver up to an 80 percent improvement in navigation accuracy for uncrewed platforms and reduce costs by as much as 50 percent. These characteristics are intended to support more efficient scaling across high-volume drone operations.
Honeywell Aerospace further states that Kestrel’s resiliency can reduce UAS attrition by 60 percent while more than doubling the capacity for mission distances.
Matt Picchetti, Vice President and General Manager of Navigation & Sensors at Honeywell Aerospace, stated, “Kestrel reflects the evolving needs of today’s uncrewed operations, where operators are looking for resilient navigation technology that is smaller, lighter and more cost-effective. This system helps operators maintain mission objectives in environments where legacy GPS systems are lagging behind.”
Kestrel is designed to support a broad range of defense and commercial applications and will be offered in configurations that support international and non-ITAR deployments.
Honeywell Aerospace has produced more than 60,000 EGI units since the mid-1990s, supporting navigation, pointing, stabilization and flight-control applications.
