4 October 2018
Bell Helicopter and Garmin are to collaborate on the development of Bell’s vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) air taxi.
Bell will lead the design, development and production of VTOL systems. Garmin will lead the design, development and production of the avionics hardware and software needed for ODM vehicle management, including primary flight information, navigation/ communication, flight guidance and flight management systems.
Safran has already been announced as providing the hybrid propulsion system.
“At Bell, we believe a convergence of technological advancements is enabling the industry to drive solutions that will bring viable urban air transportation to our everyday lives in a way that is safe, quiet, convenient and affordable,” said Bell’s Scott Drennan, vice president of Innovation.
“This collaboration with Garmin brings us even closer to achieving our goal. There is still work to be done to operationalize on-demand mobility (ODM) in the vertical dimension, but we believe the future is real, possible, and very close to becoming a reality.”
Garmin’s systems will provide enhanced safety and situational awareness in all weather conditions.
“We are honored to team with Bell to provide the autonomous vehicle management computer for the future of urban air travel,” said Carl Wolf, vice president of aviation marketing and sales.
