First-of-its-kind solution combines Iridium PNT with inertial sensing to help aircraft maintain trusted navigation when GNSS signals are disrupted
KIRKLAND, Wash., Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Skyband Systems Inc. today announced that the M100, the world's first avionics unit to combine Iridium positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) with inertial sensing, has entered production. The M100 alerts flight crews in real time to GPS spoofing and jamming and provides position and timing using Iridium's low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network.
GPS interference has become a routine operational problem rather than a rare event. The International Air Transport Association reported GPS spoofing incidents rose 193% and jamming events rose 67% between 2023 and 2025.
"Pilots face routine jamming in the Middle East, Baltics and much of Eastern Europe," said Will Seidel, co-founder and CEO of Skyband Systems. "They need tools to stay safe and complete their missions. The M100 brings something new to the cockpit: a global navigation source resilient to GPS jamming and spoofing."
In July 2026, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency noted a continued increase in the frequency and severity of GNSS jamming and spoofing since 2022, particularly across the Eastern Mediterranean, Black Sea, Middle East, Baltic and Arctic regions.
The M100 addresses GPS interference by providing position and time independent of local GPS and GNSS constellation availability. Iridium PNT, a cryptographically protected signal from Iridium's 66-satellite LEO constellation, is fused with the M100's own onboard inertial sensors to provide a continuous, globally available navigation solution. The M100 connects to the aircraft's existing Iridium antenna and delivers its output to the flight deck through an electronic flight bag (EFB) application and cockpit annunciator. This provides pilots with real-time GPS alerts and supplementary situational awareness.
"Iridium has served aviation for more than two decades, and our network was built to be relied upon when nothing else is available," said Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium. "As GPS interference has grown into a daily concern for flight crews, Iridium PNT offers a signal that is resilient against jamming and spoofing. Skyband's M100 brings that capability into the cockpit, and we are excited to see it reach production."
Skyband has completed the following key milestones:
- The company designed, built, validated, and flight-tested its custom printed circuit board assembly (PCBA).
- End-to-end system performance has been validated across 17 test flights.
- Full M100 units are now in production, with qualification testing scheduled for October 2026.
- Skyband and its certification partner AeroMech have surveyed the prototype aircraft for the first FAA-certified installation on an Embraer Praetor 600, with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) issuance targeted for November 2026.
"Finishing our first STC this fall is the milestone that turns the M100 from a flight-test program into a product operators can install on their aircraft," Seidel said.
"Certifying new avionics requires a level of rigor and transparency that not every new entrant is prepared for," said Anthony Wiederkehr, COO at AeroMech. "Skyband has approached the STC process with a clear commitment to safety and has worked openly with our engineering and ODA teams at every step. The Praetor 600 installation is on a solid path, and we look forward to bringing the M100 to additional aircraft types."
Skyband will exhibit at NBAA-BACE in Las Vegas from October 20 to 22 at Booth 723, where attendees can see the production M100 and a live demonstration of Skyband's GPS Threat Map and EFB application. Will Seidel will also present on GPS Interference: Impact, Trends and Recommendations on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 11:30 a.m. at the Horizon Stage in the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
About Skyband Systems
Skyband Systems Inc. builds avionics that keep aircraft navigating when GPS cannot be trusted. Founded by former engineering leaders of SpaceX's Starlink program and headquartered in Kirkland, Washington, Skyband developed the M100, a navigation unit that fuses Iridium PNT with onboard sensing to give pilots a source of position and time that's independent of local GPS and GNSS constellation availability. The company also operates GPSThreatMap.com, a live view of GPS interference reported by aircraft around the world. For more information, visit www.skybandsystems.com.
Media Contact
Robert Wiggenhorn, Skyband Systems, 1 (206) 657-6846, [email protected], https://www.skybandsystems.com/
SOURCE Skyband Systems
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