HONEYWELL AEROSPACE

Their core work

Honeywell Aerospace (Toulouse entity) develops avionics, navigation, and communication systems for air traffic management modernization across Europe. They are a core technology supplier in the SESAR programme, contributing navigation aids (GBAS, GNSS), surveillance systems (ADS-B, ADS-C), and safety nets for airports and en-route airspace. Their work spans the full ATM chain — from runway surface management and approach procedures to trajectory-based operations and drone integration into controlled airspace. As a private-sector avionics specialist embedded in Europe's ATM research ecosystem, they bridge the gap between equipment manufacturing and operational deployment.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2016–2019), Honeywell concentrated on airport-centric challenges: wake vortex separation, runway throughput, surface movement management, GBAS landing systems, and airport safety nets — reflecting the first wave of SESAR solutions focused on ground-side capacity. From 2019 onward, their portfolio shifted toward airspace-wide and future-oriented topics: RPAS integration into controlled airspace, U-space/ATM interfaces, LDACS next-generation datalinks, ADS-C trajectory sharing, and satellite-based approach demonstrations. This evolution mirrors the broader SESAR programme progression from airport optimization to full trajectory-based operations and unmanned traffic accommodation.

Honeywell Aerospace is moving toward enabling mixed manned/unmanned airspace operations, with growing investment in RPAS detect-and-avoid, U-space interfaces, and next-generation communication systems like LDACS — positioning them as a key avionics partner for Europe's post-2025 ATM architecture.

How they like to work

Honeywell overwhelmingly operates as a participant (19 of 23 projects), contributing specialized avionics and CNS expertise to large SESAR consortia rather than leading them. They coordinated only one project (STAIRS, on runway safety), suggesting they prefer the role of a technology contributor embedded in multi-partner programmes rather than a programme manager. With 193 unique partners across 26 countries, they maintain one of the broadest collaboration networks in European ATM research — functioning as a hub that connects with air navigation service providers, research centres, and other equipment manufacturers across the SESAR ecosystem.

With 193 unique consortium partners spanning 26 countries, Honeywell Aerospace maintains an exceptionally wide network rooted in the SESAR Joint Undertaking ecosystem. Their partners include Europe's major air navigation service providers, ATM research centres, airlines, and fellow avionics manufacturers — giving them reach across virtually every European aviation research community.

What sets them apart

As a global avionics manufacturer with a dedicated Toulouse entity participating in SESAR, Honeywell brings production-grade CNS hardware and software expertise into an ecosystem often dominated by research organizations and ANSPs. They can take SESAR research results and translate them into certifiable, deployable equipment — GBAS ground stations, ADS-B/ADS-C avionics, LDACS radios — which makes them a critical bridge between R&D demonstrations and operational rollout. Few other SESAR participants combine this equipment-manufacturer credibility with such broad programme coverage across navigation, surveillance, communication, and safety nets.

Highlights from their portfolio

• VLD2-W2 STAIRS
  Their only coordinated project (EUR 1.57M), focused on runway incursion prevention using SURF-A and SURF-ITA alerts — demonstrating Honeywell's leadership in airport surface safety.
• PJ14-W2 I-CNSS
  Their second-largest funded project (EUR 1.79M), integrating next-generation CNS technologies including LDACS, GBAS, SATCOM, and multilink — a showcase of their core avionics portfolio.
• PJ13-W2 ERICA
  Represents their strategic pivot toward RPAS integration in controlled airspace with detect-and-avoid capabilities under IFR — a growth area for future ATM.