--- title: "Airbus A220 will receive SkyNaute inertial navigation system — OnlyPlanes" description: "The SkyNaute system was selected for the A220. How inertial measurements complement satellite navigation and why choosing equipment does not mean upgrading the entire fleet." canonical_url: "https://onlyplanes.ru/en/news/airbus-a220-skynaute-inertial-navigation" last_updated: 2026-10-27 locale: en meta: keywords: "aviation, aircraft, airlines, airports, flight" "og:description": "The SkyNaute system was selected for the A220. How inertial measurements complement satellite navigation and why choosing equipment does not mean upgrading the entire fleet." "og:image": "https://onlyplanes.ru/images/editorial/2026-10-26/a220-air-canada.webp" "og:title": "Airbus A220 will receive SkyNaute inertial navigation system" "twitter:description": "The SkyNaute system was selected for the A220. How inertial measurements complement satellite navigation and why choosing equipment does not mean upgrading the entire fleet." "twitter:image": "https://onlyplanes.ru/images/editorial/2026-10-26/a220-air-canada.webp" "twitter:title": "Airbus A220 will receive SkyNaute inertial navigation system" --- > Index of every page on this site: [llms.txt](https://onlyplanes.ru/llms.txt) Technology # Airbus A220 will receive SkyNaute inertial navigation system The SkyNaute system was selected for the A220. How inertial measurements complement satellite navigation and why choosing equipment does not mean upgrading the entire fleet. ![Airbus A220 will receive SkyNaute inertial navigation system](https://onlyplanes.ru/images/editorial/2026-10-26/a220-air-canada.webp) Air Canada Airbus A220-300 in Montreal, September 2023. Archive photo. The SkyNaute navigation system from Safran Electronics & Defense has been selected for the Airbus A220. The announcement, dated October 20, 2026, describes the first application of this system on a passenger airliner. It combines inertial measurements with satellite data and is designed to preserve navigation information during GNSS disruptions. The solution is based on hemispherical resonator gyroscopes. The choice of equipment does not mean that it is already installed on every A220: integration into the aircraft and the introduction of a specific configuration into operation are separate stages. The news touches on an issue that usually goes unnoticed by the passenger: how the plane knows its position and what happens if one source of data becomes unreliable. On the screen, the route appears as a single line, but behind it lies the operation of several systems. Their task is not only to calculate coordinates. It is also necessary to evaluate the quality of information, notice discrepancies and provide the crew with a clear picture. Therefore, increasing the stability of navigation is associated with the independence of measurements, and not simply with the addition of another receiver. ## Satellite navigation is one of the sources The GNSS designation includes global satellite navigation systems. GPS is one of them, so the words GPS and GNSS are not completely interchangeable. The receiver uses satellite radio signals to determine position and time. This method is convenient because it does not require proximity to a ground-based radio beacon. However, its operation still depends on an external signal, which must be received and correctly processed. On board, the coordinates are included in a wider information system. They can be used for flight control, position display and navigation tasks. This does not mean that any disruption to the satellite signal immediately disorients the crew. A transport aircraft has other sources and means of control. What is important is the specific composition of the equipment and how the system handles failure or inconsistency between incoming data. ## Jamming and false position information are different problems When the signal is suppressed, it becomes difficult or impossible for the receiver to extract useful information. In a simplified view, he ceases to confidently hear satellites. Substitution works differently: equipment can receive seemingly convincing, but incorrect information. Therefore, the absence of coordinates and the appearance of erroneous coordinates are different situations. In the second case, the ability to detect discrepancies in other measurements is especially important. The difference is clear from an everyday example, although the aviation system is much more complex. If the map no longer shows the position, the user knows that there is no data. If the pointer moves in the wrong place, the error may look plausible. For an aircraft, it is not enough to continuously produce a number: you need to evaluate how much you can trust it. Independent motion measurement helps verify pattern consistency and limit the influence of an unreliable external source. ## The inertial system measures its own motion Inertial navigation uses gyroscopes and accelerometers. The former provide information related to orientation and rotation, the latter measure acceleration. After the initial binding, the system continuously calculates motion and position. It does not need constant reception of a radio signal for each new calculation. This is an important feature in conditions where external navigation information is temporarily unavailable or in doubt. But autonomy does not make this method error-free. Small errors in measurements and calculations gradually accumulate. Over time, the calculated position may deviate from the actual position - this is called drift. Therefore, inertial navigation is usually considered together with the possibility of correction using other reliable data. The system gains the benefits of independence, and external measurements help limit accumulated error when their quality allows it. ## Combining data is not simply a matter of averaging it Two sources are only useful if the system can evaluate their consistency. If one source is wrong, mechanical averaging can transfer part of the error into the final solution. Therefore, combining measurements involves plausibility testing and quality control. The specific algorithms depend on the hardware, but the general idea is simple: the new value must correspond to the known movement and acceptable changes. For example, a sudden jump in coordinates without corresponding measured accelerations requires an explanation. It may indicate an appearance problem rather than an actual maneuver. However, one abstract example cannot describe the entire logic of SkyNaute or promise the detection of any type of impact. To evaluate a specific system, its proven characteristics are needed. The engineering goal is to work robustly with measurements of different origins and with different types of errors. ## Why are new gyroscopes needed? The gyroscope is one of the key elements of the inertial system. The quality of motion assessment depends on its accuracy and stability. SkyNaute uses hemispherical resonator technology, which the developer has already used in other areas of aviation. For a passenger aircraft, the value of a new sensor is determined not by its catchy name, but by how consistently it works as part of the entire system for the required time. In addition to accuracy, weight, size, power consumption and reliability are important. Aircraft equipment operates in confined spaces, interacts with other systems, and must withstand its intended environment. When installed on a production type of aircraft, this entire set is evaluated. A good stand-alone sensor still needs to be developed into a compatible, testable and maintainable onboard equipment with clear fault behavior. ## Supplier selection does not mean an immediate fleet retrofit Navigation system integration includes mechanical installation, power supply, data communication and interaction with the rest of the onboard system. It is necessary to check how new data is displayed, what warnings the crew receives and what happens in case of failures. Changing one element may require coordination with several others. That is why there is a separate development and conformity phase between the announcement of the choice and day-to-day operation. A separate issue is applicability to already produced aircraft. The ability to install to a new production configuration does not automatically convert all existing aircraft. Upgrades require a specific program, compatibility, and necessary approvals. Until such information is available, it is incorrect to attribute the news to every flight on the A220. The passenger fleet consists of individual aircraft with their own configurations and history of equipment changes. ## Navigation stability consists of several levels Independent sensors help maintain navigation information, but equipment is only one part of the system. Performance monitoring, crew training, available navigation aids and operating arrangements also matter. In a disruption, the crew may need to change procedures or assess the route again. A position is useful together with an understanding of the limitations attached to it. For the layman, the main takeaway from choosing SkyNaute is to enhance the independent measurement source. The aircraft becomes less dependent on the continuous availability of a satellite radio signal. At the same time, the new system does not make navigation completely invulnerable and does not cancel other checks. Development is moving towards a combination of different methods, in which the failure of one should not imperceptibly destroy the entire picture of the movement. ## What will be the next confirmation of the result? Once the selection is announced, specific implementation details are important: approved configuration, start-up, and actual fleet coverage. They will show how the new system came into operation. Before this, it is correct to discuss its purpose and fundamental architecture, without promising certain capabilities for each aircraft. A message about future equipment and a description of a flight already in progress refer to different levels of information. For the A220, this is a step in the development of the onboard complex, and for aviation in general, it is an example of interest in navigation with independent measurements. Satellite systems remain a critical source of data, but their usefulness does not eliminate the need for redundancy. A strong architecture takes advantage of each method and respects its limitations. It is this combination that makes navigation information more stable than relying on a single source, no matter how accurate it may be under favorable conditions. Enjoyed this article? ## Share [Telegram](https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fonlyplanes.ru%2Fen%2Fnews%2Fairbus-a220-skynaute-inertial-navigation&text=Airbus%20A220%20will%20receive%20SkyNaute%20inertial%20navigation%20system) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Airbus A220 will receive SkyNaute inertial navigation system","description":"The SkyNaute system was selected for the A220. 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