Tag Archives for " Press Releases "
Appareo Releases Highly-Capable, Rugged Telematics Gateway with Truly Global Connectivity
NEWS RELEASE
Appareo Releases Highly-Capable, Rugged Telematics Gateway with Truly Global Connectivity
The new telematically-enabled ECU features Iridium® satellite connectivity along with LTE, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 433 MHz, CAN, BroadR-Reach, Ethernet, and GPS
FARGO, North Dakota (June 29, 2020) — Appareo today released a new product in the company’s award-winning line of telematically-enabled electronic control units (ECUs). The Gateway 360 is a rugged yet lightweight edge computing platform for mobile equipment applications that provides a wide range of communication technologies: Iridium SBD, Cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 433 MHz radios with, GPS, BroadR-Reach, Ethernet, and controller area networking (CAN). The device is built with an IP67-rated rugged enclosure for use outdoors and for mounting on heavy machinery.
The Appareo Gateway 360 is unique in that it couples truly global wide area connectivity capabilities through both an Iridium satellite connection, LTE connectivity with local area Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 433 MHz radios in a powerful computational platform capable of receiving and processing data from a wide range of vehicle networks and buses.
“The 300 series of Gateways are powerful edge computational products that provide a truly global connectivity solution capable of bridging the communication gap between all manner of on- and off-machine applications in very rugged environments,” said David Batcheller, President & CEO of Appareo. “The broad spectrum of communication technologies in the Gateway 360 offers an amazing array of solutions to global off-highway connectivity challenges.”
Off-highway machines are often used in very remote parts of the world. The cellular capabilities of the Gateway 360 are certified in dozens of countries; however, cellular coverage is limited in some geographies. Appareo’s use of the Iridium SBD transceiver allows for truly global machine coverage. The presence of Iridium on the device ensures that critical machine data can be retrieved, and wherever that equipment may be (land, air, or water) the Gateway 360 will keep Appareo customers and their machines connected.
The local area network connections (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and 433 MHz) allow machines to communicate directly with each other and with the operators or passengers. This allows people near the machine in its job site or field to be connected, informed, or in control, using real-time data with zero latency and no network costs. Further, groups of machines can communicate with machines and attachments to improve operator experience and efficiency.
For example, using 433 MHz or Bluetooth, the Gateway 360 can communicate with active RFID products, like the AT-40 asset tracker, tire pressure sensors, and other wireless machine sensors. This capability allows for machines to receive information from hydraulic and mechanical attachments, and despite the lack of electrical power on those attachments, use information from the active RFID tag to recognize the attachment, and automatically adjust machine control settings accordingly.
From remote diagnostics (securely accessing devices with available VPN remote access to troubleshoot equipment in real time) to inexpensively deploying firmware updates over the air through differential software updating tools, Appareo Gateways offer a wide spectrum of capabilities that go beyond traditional telematic data usage for preventive maintenance and remote support.
Appareo Gateway Series
Appareo and Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq:IRDM) originally partnered in 2016 to release technology to equip motorized farm vehicles with terrestrial and satellite communication capabilities, enabled by the truly global Iridium satellite network — the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Appareo was one of the first companies chosen to integrate the Iridium 9603 chipset, the smallest commercial two-way satellite transceiver.
“Appareo continues to be a leader in bringing next generation telematics solutions and global connectivity to customers,” said Bryan Hartin, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Iridium. “With the Gateway 360’s truly global machine coverage, critical machine data can now be retrieved in even the most remote locations.”
AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO) integrated Appareo’s 300 Series Gateways for its telematic solutions, specifically to expand wireless telemetry solutions for remote precision agriculture and machine monitoring.
“AGCO has been working with Appareo for many years and we have built our connectivity strategy leveraging the Gateway 360. We see advantages with the capabilities and the global reach this product provides, whether we are leveraging cellular or the Iridium satellite capabilities. It is great to have a partner that has deep expertise and is willing to work closely on our mutual goals,” said Seth Crawford, Vice President, Fuse Connected Services and Digital Customer Experience at AGCO.
To learn more about Appareo’s line of Gateways, visit appareo.com.
# # #
About Appareo
Appareo is a recognized leader in the custom design, development and manufacture of innovative electronic and software solutions for aerospace and terrestrial applications. Through the creative application of cutting-edge technologies, Appareo creates complex end-to-end solutions that include both mobile and cloud-based components. The company is privately held, with headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and a design office in Paris, France. All products are built and supported in the USA.
Product Photos
Download photos from our Online Media Kit.
https://www.appareo.com/2020/06/29/appareo-releases-highly-capable-rugged-telematics-gateway-with-truly-global-connectivity/
Appareo Releases Rugged On-Demand Cellular Asset Tracker for Off-Highway Equipment
NEWS RELEASE
Appareo Releases Rugged On-Demand Cellular Asset Tracker for Off-Highway Equipment
With the telematics and logistic groundwork laid by Razor Tracking, Appareo has developed the most advanced and rugged asset tracking device, at an affordable price.
FARGO, North Dakota (June 11, 2020) — Appareo today announced a new product in the company’s line of rugged cellular asset trackers. The Appareo AT-130 (IP69K) will launch first with partner Razor Tracking, a leader in off-highway asset tracking software. These two North Dakota companies joined forces to develop an affordable on-demand asset tracking solution with unmatched durability for use in any industry.
Appareo leveraged its experience building rugged, off-highway, telematic and electronic products to develop an inexpensive, but performant, super rugged cellular product. Razor Tracking, the industry-leading software developer for fleet tracking and operations management, provided the initial logistics software for the AT-130, and laid the groundwork for future logistic integrations.
The AT-130 is an IP69K-rated asset tracking device with cellular and GPS capabilities, a 5-year battery life, and industrial operating temperature range (-40 ℃ to +70 ℃). The IP69K rating certifies the device’s ability to withstand an 80℃ pressure wash at close distance, making this tracker uniquely suited for industrial applications where such cleaning is routine and necessary.
“The affordable AT-130 from Appareo will provide unmatched durability to any industry and bringing this device to market will help our customers operate on another level,” said Eric Mauch, President of Razor Tracking.
“Razor Tracking is the leading software provider for fleet tracking and operations management, especially in the off-highway environments in which we work,” said David Batcheller, President & CEO of Appareo. “We’re very excited to work with them as the launch software partner for the AT-130.”
Appareo leveraged its experience in GPS and inertial technologies to equip the device with high-performance positioning and motion-sensing capabilities. In addition to the cellular and GPS capabilities, Appareo’s proprietary motion-sensing algorithms ensure that motion-based reporting is done based on true machinery repositioning. This helps extend device battery life and reduce nuisance alarms when equipment doesn’t truly relocate.
Battery life is impacted by the frequency with which the device is required to report its position. If the AT-130 tracker reports its position once per day and occasionally also reports its position on demand (e.g. because of a message from a user’s web or mobile application demanding a position update), a customer could expect the battery to last more than five years. With lower-frequency reporting the AT-130 battery could last even longer.
Integrating the AT-130 into a tracking system or manufacturer backend is easy because Appareo built the AT-130 communication interface based on common standards and industry practices. By preventing customers from having to overcome proprietary communication formats or practices, integration of the device into customers’ software ecosystem is straightforward.
AT-130 regulatory and compliance certifications include Verizon Networks, Vodafone International, CE, IC, FCC, RCM, PTCRB, and GCF.
The AT-130 is designed and manufactured in the United States. Appareo offers easy device and data plan management through the company’s custom Data Services Platform, where customers can activate and manage their tracking devices. To learn more about Appareo’s line of asset trackers, visit appareo.com/products/asset-tracking.
# # #
About Appareo
Appareo is a recognized leader in the custom design, development and manufacture of innovative electronic and software solutions for aerospace and terrestrial applications. Through the creative application of cutting-edge technologies, Appareo creates complex end-to-end solutions that include both mobile and cloud-based components. Founded in 2003, the company is privately held and headquartered in Fargo, N.D. All products are built and supported in the USA.
About Razor Tracking, Inc.
Razor Tracking has been headquartered in Fargo, N.D., since 2012. Razor Tracking is recognized for providing the most advanced fleet tracking and management software platform in the nation. Razor Tracking provides a powerful and easy-to-use platform to track vehicles and assets to help manage your operation in any industry. The platform is proven to maintain schedules, help with dispatching, increase overall efficiency, and improve your bottom line. For more information, please visit razortracking.com.
https://www.appareo.com/2020/06/11/appareo-releases-rugged-on-demand-cellular-asset-tracker-for-off-highway-equipment/
Appareo Releases New Product Line of Telematic and Connectivity Solutions for Aviation
NEWS RELEASE
Appareo Releases New Product Line of Telematic and Connectivity Solutions for Aviation
Conexus® Aircraft Communication Units are highly-capable, well-connected mobile computers for a broad range of aircraft types
FARGO, North Dakota (June 3, 2020) — Appareo today announced the release of a new product line of Conexus® Aircraft Communication Units (ACUs). These units are lightweight computing and communications devices that function as a data acquisition system for flight data monitoring (FDM) or flight operations quality assurance (FOQA) programs for fleet operators, or as a telematic and connectivity product for airframe manufacturers. The first product in this line, the ACU-200, is already being installed in multiple aircraft.
The ACU-200 can connect with aircraft systems, avionics, or engines using Ethernet, ARINC 429, or RS-422. The unit is qualified against RTCA DO-160G, and is designed with cybersecurity in mind. Additionally, the ACU-200 features very low power states, allowing Appareo customers to remotely connect to the unit and retrieve data even while the aircraft is powered down. The Conexus line is designed to be used in both fixed and rotary wing applications.
For airframe manufacturers, the Conexus ACU-200 is a helpful tool for monitoring the usage of aircraft in the fleet — providing valuable statistics to inform predictive maintenance scheduling, prediction of service work, and to improve depot and part distribution activities to ensure maximum customer uptime. For operators, the Conexus ACU-200 offers a single FDM/FOQA data recorder solution capable of being fit across a broad spectrum of aircraft in a mixed fleet, easing the challenges of integration and data offload logistics.
“FDM or FOQA programs are valuable for fleet operators to monitor trends, identify areas of risk, and deploy training programs to mitigate those risks. However, it can be a challenge for mixed-fleet operators to effectively analyze their flight data when it is collected in multiple acquisition systems” said David Batcheller, President & CEO of Appareo. “The ACU-200 is an ideal solution for those programs because it was designed for use in both modern and legacy aircraft,” Batcheller said.
Using the onboard inertial and GPS capabilities, the ACU-200 can provide an actionable volume of flight data from any kind of aircraft without needing to interface with avionic systems. For aircraft with digital buses available, the ACU-200 can acquire flight data directly from the aircraft system. This allows the ACU-200 to be implemented as a single avionic solution for a mixed fleet.
Additionally, while many flight data acquisition systems rely on physical means of transporting information (e.g., requiring operators to remove SD cards from their flight data recorders in order to transfer the data to a computer), Conexus products offer global 4G/3G/2G cellular data offload capabilities, ensuring the maximum speed of data reception while simplifying system maintenance and reducing costs.
The ACU-200 can be integrated with other Appareo products, such as the Vision 1000 to provide cockpit image and audio data for cellular offload, or with the RDM-300 to provide crash-hardened storage of the data acquired by the ACU-200.
“More than ever, the world recognizes the importance of making data work for us,” said Batcheller. “By developing the Conexus line of telematic and connectivity products that can perform alone or be integrated with our other flight data recording and storage solutions, Appareo is offering an approachable, expandable way for customers to access their data and put it to work.”
Find full product specifications on the ACU page, or contact Appareo for information about pricing.
About Appareo
Founded in 2003, Appareo pioneered FDM for light fixed-wing aircraft and rotorcraft by producing the most compact and lightweight flight data recorder available. Currently, multiple airframe manufacturers utilize Appareo data recording products as standard equipment on their aircraft. Appareo’s accompanying FOQA software suite was named “Product Breakthrough of the Year” by Aviation Week & Space Technology in 2007. Appareo then became the industry leader in the design and production of ADS-B equipment for general aviation, after introducing the first StratusTM portable ADS-B receiver in 2012, and subsequently introducing a series of certified and non-certified Stratus products designed to advance situational awareness and safety, increase pilot comfort, reduce pilot workload, and improve the flying experience for aviators.
Appareo is a recognized leader in the custom design, development and manufacture of innovative electronic and software solutions for aerospace. Through the creative application of cutting-edge technologies, Appareo creates complex end-to-end solutions that include both mobile and cloud-based components. The company is privately held, with headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and design offices in Tempe, Ariz. and Paris, France. All products are built and supported in the USA.
# # #
Conexus and Stratus are registered trademarks of Appareo Systems, LLC. ©2020
https://www.appareo.com/2020/06/03/appareo-releases-new-product-line-of-telematic-and-connectivity-solutions-for-aviation/
Appareo Releases Highly-Capable Rugged LTE Telematics Gateway with 6 CAN Busses, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BroadR-Reach, Ethernet, and GPS
NEWS RELEASE
Appareo Releases Highly-Capable Rugged LTE Telematics Gateway with 6 CAN Busses, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, BroadR-Reach, Ethernet, and GPS
FARGO, North Dakota (May 27, 2020) — Appareo today released a new product in the company’s award-winning line of telematically-enabled electronic control units (ECUs). The Gateway 260 is a rugged yet lightweight edge computing platform for mobile equipment applications that provides a wide range of communication technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular, GPS, BroadR-Reach, Ethernet, and controller area networking (CAN). The device is built with an IP67-rated rugged enclosure for use outdoors and for mounting on heavy machinery, and like all Appareo Gateways, the Gateway 260 is built on a popular distribution of embedded Linux (Yocto) with Docker support that allows developers to quickly deploy applications.
The Appareo Gateway 260 is unique in that it couples the capabilities of a modern LTE connectivity device and a powerful computational platform capable of receiving and processing data from a wide range of vehicle networks and buses.
“While other solutions require multiple, separate devices to accomplish computation and cloud connectivity, Gateway 260 was designed to aggregate local/wired communications and Wi-Fi/cellular connectivity in one box with powerful processing capabilities, lowering the total cost for our customers,” said David Batcheller, President & CEO of Appareo. “Our architecture that enables strong local area network integration between off-highway equipment and mobile devices like phones and tablets continues in the Gateway 260. This allows our customers to create mobile app experiences that control or monitor their machines using the operator’s portable electronic devices.”
For example, Väderstad and Appareo collaborated to design an entirely new machine control architecture for Väderstad planters and seeders, uniquely featuring the capability to control the machine using iPads through a Wi-Fi interface. The Appareo Gateway acts as the server for the user interface, contains all the control logic necessary to operate the machine, and commands other ECUs on the CAN bus to execute machine tasks or get information. The user has the ability to utilize an ISOBUS-compatible Virtual Terminal, an iPad display, or both at the same time. With the inclusion of an iPad as a control interface, the user is able to perform all functions wirelessly to the machine, which has made out-of-cab operations much more convenient. Väderstad was the first agricultural machinery manufacturer to utilize a mobile tablet in this way.
From remote diagnostics (securely accessing devices to troubleshoot equipment in real time) to inexpensively deploying firmware updates through differential software updating tools, Appareo Gateways offer a wide spectrum of capabilities.
One company that integrated Appareo’s 300 Series Gateways for its telematic solutions is AGCO Corporation (NYSE:AGCO). AGCO utilized an Appareo 300 Series Gateway with Iridium (Nasdaq:IRDM) connectivity to expand AgCommand, AGCO’s complete, end-to-end, wireless telemetry solution for remote precision agriculture and machine monitoring. Appareo is one of only a few integrators in the world for the 9603 Iridium chipset — the smallest commercial two-way satellite transceiver — which enabled AGCO to become the first in agriculture to equip machines with connectivity on a broad, global scale. The Appareo Gateway can collect and distribute real-time data, product and performance data, health and asset management data, location data, security and recovery data, in addition to remote diagnostics and the possibility for future predictive maintenance capabilities.
To learn more about Appareo’s line of Gateways, visit www.appareo.com/products/highly-capable-telematic-products/.
# # #
https://www.appareo.com/2020/05/27/appareo-releases-highly-capable-rugged-lte-telematics-gateway-with-6-can-busses-wi-fi-bluetooth-broadr-reach-ethernet-and-gps/
Appareo Releases Major Upgrade to Web-Based Flight Data Analysis Software
FARGO, North Dakota (May 18, 2020) — Appareo today released a major architectural upgrade to Appareo EnVision, the company’s analysis software system for Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) or Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA) programs. Appareo EnVision is a web-based application that allows fleet operators to access past and current flight data, generate detailed reports, and trend the safety improvements in their operations. Prior to this release, the software accepted flight data captured by Appareo’s Vision 1000 cockpit recorder. With this architectural rewrite, the Appareo EnVision web app can now accept flight data from other devices, including other Appareo flight data recorders and even third-party sources.
“While many flight analysis applications require significant technical capability to operate with effectiveness, EnVision was built with a focus on ease of use” said David Batcheller, President & CEO of Appareo. The software provides deep access to raw data while delivering it in a simple, clean interface to automatically filter flight data and identify flights that require further review.
The Importance of Flight Analysis
FDM and FOQA programs have proven effective in improving safety and decreasing the occurrence of incidents or accidents when the program follows three simple practices: 1) identify deviations, 2) implement corrective actions, and 3) measure results.
Identifying deviations from standard operating procedures (SOP) is not an indication of irresponsible or deliberately malicious behavior by pilots. Deviations often occur because humans are susceptible to the “normalization of deviance.” This phrase describes a process in which deviance becomes normalized if it doesn’t result in an instantaneous negative consequence. While some operating procedures may seem inconvenient or unimportant, the right mix of variables could result in a deviance turning deadly. That is the reason behind the expression, “aviation regulations are written in blood.”
Appareo CEO David Batcheller shares his own personal experience with normalization of deviance: “I moved into a new neighborhood which had a stop sign near my house. For months I didn’t see another car when I came to the stop sign every day. After a while, I started to roll through the stop, then coast through the stop, and eventually I forgot the stop sign was there entirely. Flash forward to harvest season when I discovered that the intersection became very busy, and I was nearly broadsided by a truck as I ignored the stop sign. Fortunately that was a near miss, but that incident could have been fatal. It’s the kind of thing that routinely happens in all walks of life, flight operations included. Flight Data Monitoring and Flight Operations Quality Assurance programs should be thought of as the kindly local sheriff in the rearview mirror who is ready to provide a reminder that rules are important when our more fallible human inclinations take over.”
How It Works
Data is transferred from an aircraft to a local computer via SD card, then uploaded to Appareo servers for analysis. That transmission can happen instantaneously or it can be scheduled for a different time of day, based on the user’s preferences. “The scheduling feature was developed for our customers who have operations in remote locations with limited internet bandwidth,” said Batcheller. “They appreciate the ability to schedule their data file transmission to take place during periods of low network activity.”
Once data is received, the EnVision software parses all flight data against customized event triggers that were defined by the user based on their organization’s flight operating procedures. The process of configuring those event triggers is one of EnVision’s most powerful features; using a simple interface and drop-down menu, users can define the events that are important to monitor, and specify the parameters that indicate when a flight has deviated from flight ops.
Detailed reports are easily generated from those events, delivering the information that operators want to monitor and the ability to trend that information over time. Comprehensive data for every flight is archived on the Appareo servers, giving customers convenient online access to their data whenever it’s needed.
Appareo EnVision is offered as a per-aircraft subscription service with no user limits, and includes the hosting of stored flight data. To learn more about Appareo’s turnkey flight data monitoring solutions, visit Appareo.com/FDM-FOQA.
# # #
About Appareo
Appareo is a recognized leader in the custom design, development and manufacture of innovative electronic and software solutions for aerospace. Through the creative application of cutting-edge technologies, Appareo creates complex end-to-end solutions that include both mobile and cloud-based components. The company is privately held, with headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and design offices in Tempe, Ariz. and Paris, France. All products are built and supported in the USA.
About FDM and FOQA
FDM and FOQA programs are one of the NTSB’s Top 10 Most Wanted and an area of strong recommendation from the NTSB to the FAA for new rulemaking to improve the safety of Part 135 operations.
Media Assets
www.appareo.com/media
https://www.appareo.com/2020/05/18/appareo-releases-major-upgrade-to-web-based-flight-data-analysis-software/
Appareo Releases Crash-Hardened Recoverable Data Module with Auto Bus Detection
Weighing less than two pounds, this rugged and compact enclosure withstands DO-160G category tests to ensure the survival of critical flight data.
FARGO, North Dakota (April 29, 2020) — Appareo today announced a new addition to the company’s line of crash-survivable, remote-mountable, flight data recording modules for rotorcraft and fixed-wing aircraft. The Recoverable Data Module, model 300 (RDM-300) is a small, lightweight, flexible, and affordable crash-hardened flight data recorder that was originally developed as a custom solution for a customer, and has now been equipped with an auto-detect feature for ARINC or serial buses, making it easily installed in any type of aircraft.
While there are regulatory requirements for commercial aircraft to be equipped with flight data recorders, there are no equivalent requirements for many smaller aircraft. Even so, aircraft manufacturers and large fleet operators have realized the benefits of recovering flight data for the benefits of helping investigators determine if an incident or accident was caused by an airplane system problem, an external event, or pilot error. Historically, this flight data has contributed to airplane system design improvements.
One airframe manufacturer who decided to invest in the benefits of recoverable flight data collaborated with Appareo to design a small and lightweight device that could meet high survivability standards.
“This module is ideal for aircraft that are not required to carry ED-112 compliant, large, heavy data recorders, but rather, for applications where reliable survivability of flight data provides great business and investigative value,” said David Batcheller, President & CEO of Appareo.
The RDM-300 is easy to incorporate into any aircraft, automatically accommodating the aircraft’s bus speed, and easily configurable to recording preferences. Once installed, the unit can record more than 500 parameters per second to the non-complicated, solid-state memory within the device. Weighing less than two pounds, the RDM-300 perfectly balances rigorous survivability needs while optimizing the size and weight of the product.
Although typically used to collect parametric data from ARINC 429 buses or other serial interfaces, the RDM-300 can also be configured to collect cockpit voice recorder (CVR) or cockpit image data.
For full technical specifications, refer to the RDM-300 Data Sheet.
# # #
https://www.appareo.com/2020/04/29/appareo-releases-crash-hardened-recoverable-data-module-with-auto-bus-detection/
Appareo Releases New EFB: Stratus Insight™
Features include ATC Transcription, Vertical Weather Profile, Radar Forecast, TAWS, and Smart Flight Plan
FARGO, North Dakota (March 31, 2020) — Appareo today introduced a new flight app called Stratus Insight™. Stratus Insight is an electronic flight bag (EFB) suite that includes VFR sectional maps, IFR low/high charts, geo-referenced approach plates, TAWS, and AHRS with synthetic vision. Beyond typical EFB features, Stratus Insight also provides ATC Radio Transcription and Playback, Vertical Weather Profile, Radar Forecast, and Smart Flight Plan. The Stratus Insight application supports integration with all generations of Stratus™ receivers, which provide subscription-free weather, WAAS GPS information, and ADS-B traffic to the app during flight.
Stratus Insight is one of two software applications in the Stratus family of pilot-friendly affordable avionics. The other app, Stratus Horizon Pro, was the industry’s first app to provide ATC Radio Transcription and Playback to pilots. Those features are now also available in the new Stratus Insight EFB to give pilots the option of flying with an “all-in-one” app experience.
At its core, Stratus Insight is a full-featured EFB designed to make pilots’ lives easier and to provide enhanced situational awareness in the cockpit. Stratus Insight’s weather tools were designed to give pilots a deeper understanding of weather for improved preflight planning. For example, weather modeling products such as Radar Forecast, and a Vertical Weather Profile tool that allows pilots to see conditions across their route of flight based on their aircraft speed and departure time. If changes in weather advisories force a pilot to take an alternate route, Stratus Insight goes beyond simply listing alternate airports — the Smart Flight Plan tool considers fuel stops and day/night currency.
Stratus Insight displays supplemental attitude information driven by a Stratus receiver — essentially creating a “backup glass cockpit” on your iPad, with an impressive synthetic vision view. The app can also be paired with a Bluetooth headset or audio panel to alert pilots with TAWS or runway information.
Beyond its full-featured EFB functionality, Stratus Insight boasts a custom aviation speech recognition system. When paired with a Stratus Audio Cable, the ATC Radio Transcription feature works similar to visual voicemail. ATC communications are converted into text and displayed directly above the audio playback line, providing a helpful visual assist for referencing previous audio clips. This enables pilots to receive a clearance, ATIS, or other important ATC communications without needing to write them down.
The future of aviation: a beyond-glass strategy
The speech recognition and language understanding technology that drives the Radio Transcription feature was custom-designed by the Artificial Intelligence (AI) division at Appareo. “We are focused on developing machine learning technology to reduce workload and increase safety in the cockpit,” said Appareo AI Systems Director Josh Gelinske.
The opportunity
At a global scale, speech recognition, translation, and transcription features are commonplace (e.g. Alexa and Siri). However, ATC communications present many challenges for these common speech recognition systems. The high rate of speech, noisy signal, narrow frequency band, and unique location identifiers are among those challenges. Appareo identified that shortfall in the existing technology and set out to develop a speech recognition system customized for aviation.
The solution
“We began by designing a deep neural network and training it on thousands of hours of speech and hundreds of hours of ATC data,” said Gelinske. Appareo then designed a custom aviation speech recognition system that was able to run on mobile devices without requiring cellular service or internet connection, so there would be no accessibility limitations during flight.
As Gelinske explains, “Natural Language Processing is also used to interpret the output of the speech recognition system, to present it in a more pilot-friendly format. For example, tail numbers, altitudes, runways, and frequencies are transcribed in a way that will be more helpful to pilots.”
Comparison example:
Appareo Aviation President Kris Garberg explains, “this new AI technology is the baseline for exciting features we have in our app roadmap, which is focused on creating a safer, more convenient way to fly.”
Stratus Insight is available for download from the Apple Store, and currently offers two subscription plans — $9.99 monthly or $99.99 annually. Available only for iOS devices. No cellular service or internet connection is required to operate the app. The Stratus Audio Cable (available to purchase here) is necessary to enable the Radio Transcription and Playback features. For more information, visit www.stratusinsight.app.
# # #
Acronym Key
ATC: Air Traffic Control
ATIS: Automatic Terminal Information Service
AEA: Aircraft Electronics Association
TAWS: Terrain Awareness and Warning System
EFB: Electronic Flight Bag
AHRS: Attitude Heading Reference System
VFR: Visual Flight Rules
IFR: Instrument Flight Rules
About Appareo
Appareo is a recognized leader in the custom design, development and manufacture of innovative electronic and software solutions for aerospace. Through the creative application of cutting-edge technologies, Appareo creates complex end-to-end solutions that include both mobile and cloud-based components. The company is privately held, with headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and design offices in Tempe, Ariz. and Paris, France. All Stratus products are designed, developed, built and supported in the USA.
Stratus and Stratus Insight are registered trademarks of Appareo Systems, LLC ©2020
https://www.appareo.com/2020/03/31/appareo-releases-new-efb-stratus-insight/
Appareo Receives Certification for Stratus Transponders in Part 27 Helicopters
FARGO, North Dakota (March 25, 2020) — Appareo has received FAA approval for installation of Stratus transponders in Part 27 aircraft. The STC-AML includes Airbus Helicopters, Bell Helicopter, Leonardo, and Robinson Helicopter. The H-variant models, named Stratus ES-H and Stratus ESG-H, are now available through the Authorized Appareo Dealer Network, and retail for the same price as the Part 23 transponders.
Stratus ESG-H $2,995
Designed to be an all-in-one box solution for ADS-B mandate compliance, Stratus ESG-H is a 1090 Extended Squitter (ES) transponder with built-in certified WAAS GPS.
Stratus ES-H $2,495
Designed for aircraft owners who have already invested in WAAS GPS, Stratus ES-H will make an aircraft rule-compliant when paired with any of the following navigators:
- Garmin GPS 175
- Garmin GPS 400W, GNC 420W/420 AW, and GNS 430W/430AW with software version 5.00 or later
- Garmin GPS GNS 480 (CNX80)
- Garmin GPS 500W and GNS 530W/530AW/530TAWS with software version 5.02 or later
- Garmin 6XX and 7XX with software version 3.00 or later
- Avidyne IFD440 and IFD540 with software version 10.0.3.0 or later
Both models are certified 1090 ES ADS-B Out transponders designed with the common 1.65” form factor to easily replace existing transponders. Stratus transponders can be connected to an ADS-B In receiver for the complete ADS-B experience.
To find a dealer, visit Appareo Dealer Locator.
# # #
About Appareo
Appareo is a recognized leader in the custom design, development and manufacture of innovative electronic and software solutions for aerospace. Through the creative application of cutting-edge technologies, Appareo creates complex end-to-end solutions that include both mobile and cloud-based components. The company is privately held, with headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and design offices in Tempe, Ariz. and Paris, France. All Stratus products are designed, developed, built and supported in the USA.
Stratus is a registered trademark of Appareo Systems, LLC ©2020
https://www.appareo.com/2020/03/25/appareo-receives-certification-for-stratus-transponders-in-part-27-helicopters/
Appareo Acquires Aerovie
Planned enhancements to Aerovie will result in the industry’s most advanced electronic flight bag
FARGO, North Dakota (June 18, 2019) — Appareo today announced the acquisition of Aerovie, LLC, developer of the Aerovie electronic flight bag (EFB) suite that includes AHRS and synthetic vision, VFR sectional, IFR low/high, and geo-referenced approach charts.
Since introducing the first Stratus portable ADS-B receiver in 2012, Appareo has become the industry leader in the design and production of ADS-B equipment for general aviation. While the company has continued expanding on the hardware features and capabilities of Stratus receivers and transponders, it has been reliant on third-party flight apps to interface with the information provided by Stratus receivers. The first three generations of Stratus receivers (Stratus 1, Stratus 2, and Stratus 1S/2S/2i) were integrated with ForeFlight Mobile. The latest model, Stratus 3, was designed with “Open ADS-B Mode,” which means it integrates with any EFB app using GDL 90 protocol.
With the introduction of Stratus 3 last year, the engineers at Appareo began working with many EFB developers to ensure close integration with the newest model. Aerovie was one of the first companies to support Stratus 3 in its app.
“We were very impressed with the Aerovie team as we worked on the integration, and pleased with how smoothly it went,” said Appareo Aviation President Kris Garberg. “I started flying with the Aerovie app and Stratus 3 last year, and I was so impressed with the features and user experience that it became my ‘go to’ EFB.”
Garberg’s experience flying with Aerovie was the catalyst for Appareo to move toward this acquisition. Knowing that Aerovie was already performing well with Stratus 3, Appareo decided it was time to offer pilots a complete solution of tightly integrated hardware and software.
“All of us at Appareo Aviation are excited to work with Bryan Heitman and the Aerovie team to incorporate their exceptional EFB into the Appareo family, and offer a complete hardware and software solution. We plan to build on the success of Aerovie by adding many new features that will increase safety in the cockpit.” – Kris Garberg – President, Appareo Aviation
Some of the first additions to the Aerovie EFB will be features that Appareo developed for its own app, Stratus Horizon Pro. Introduced last year, Stratus Horizon Pro offers pilots helpful tools including backup AHRS, and Radio Playback, which captures Air Traffic Control (ATC) communications and saves them for easy one-touch playback. Additionally, there’s a beta feature called Radio Transcription, which converts ATC communications into text that’s displayed directly above the audio playback line.
“The product development team at Appareo Aviation has spent a considerable amount of effort developing speech recognition technology customized for aviation, and we’re excited to embed that cutting-edge technology throughout the Aerovie app,” Garberg said. “Our product roadmap is focused on creating a safer, more convenient way to fly. It centers around a beyond-glass strategy, which is the future of aviation.”
Bryan Heitman, the founder of Aerovie is a software developer, private pilot, and self-proclaimed weather geek. As the EFB market was getting started, Heitman considered how he could utilize his skills to create something valuable for pilots. When Lockheed Martin Flight Services announced in 2014 they would provide PIREPS into the national air system, Heitman saw an opportunity. He developed AerovieReports, the first app to deliver free PIREPS. AerovieReports grew a following, and Heitman began adding features. “As a pilot, I was using some of the popular flight apps, but there were gaps in their features. I decided to expand Aerovie to become a flight bag that provided everything I needed,” Heitman said.
Since then, Aerovie has evolved into a full-featured cockpit tool designed to make pilots’ lives easier and provide enhanced situational awareness. Aerovie is a leader for preflight weather planning, with tools designed to give pilots a deeper understanding of weather. For example, weather modeling products such as radar forecast, and a vertical weather profile tool that allows pilots to see conditions across their route of flight based on their aircraft speed and departure time.
“Being as committed as we were to providing robust and reliable weather tools, Stratus was definitely on our radar,” Heitman said. “We saw Appareo leading the ADS-B market with the best quality receiver available, but our customers couldn’t experience it until Stratus 3 was introduced.”
With the Aerovie acquisition comes good news for pilots who own older models of Stratus receivers. The first enhancement planned for the Aerovie app is support for Stratus 2, 1S, 2S, and 2i.
“We’re very excited to take Aerovie to the next level by joining the Stratus product family. Our companies have been aligned in our commitment to G.A. over the years. We understand the unique needs of a single-pilot operation versus a crew, and we’re committed to making flying safer and more friendly for that G.A. pilot,” – Bryan Heitman – Founder, Aerovie
Aerovie currently offers two subscription plans — $6.99 monthly or $69.99 annually. Current Aerovie app users will not experience a disruption in their service during the acquisition by Appareo. Once additional features are added to the app, current and new subscribers will be able to select from various plan levels. Those subscription options, as well as the app naming and branding, will be announced at a later date.
The terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed as both companies are privately held. For more information about Appareo Aviation, visit www.appareoaviation.com, and for Aerovie visit www.aerovie.com.
The Aerovie app is available on the App Store for iOS devices.
# # #
https://www.appareo.com/2019/06/18/appareo-acquires-aerovie/
Appareo and Broadsword Partner to Fortify High Performance with CMMI
Aerospace Leader Demonstrates Commitment to Transforming Engineering Performance
Fargo, ND — Appareo Systems (Appareo) and Broadsword Solutions (Broadsword) today announced a strategic partnership to pursue Appareo’s vision for high performance using Broadsword’s AgileCMMI framework and the CMMI Institute’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI®). Appareo is a product development and technology company that specializes in software and hardware for industrial and commercial electronics. Broadsword is a leader in performance innovation and process improvement. Their partnership represents Appareo’s ongoing commitment to improving performance.
The CMMI defines the elements required to build great products or deliver great services and integrates them into a comprehensive, implementable model. Broadsword will provide CMMI workshops, coaching, and consulting solutions to help Appareo achieve its capability goals.
“Continuous improvement is a key tenant of Appareo operations,” said David Batcheller, President and CEO of Appareo. “As an ISO 9001- and AS9100- certified organization, we are committed to using CMMI to help us address every avenue for improvement, manage scope and communications, and meet our customer expectations for project delivery more predictably and reliably. We chose Broadsword for their clear vision and proven approach, which we think will help us reach our goals.”
Broadsword’s President, Jeff Dalton, said “By making the commitment to initiate a continuous improvement architecture and system based on the CMMI, Appareo will maintain their position as an industry leader that strives to deliver defect-free, high-value products that meet customers’ requirements, and wins more competitive business. We’re proud to be a partner in helping Appareo’s improve performance, and look forward to their continued success.”
ABOUT APPAREO
For more than 15 years Appareo has been building a reputation as innovators dedicated to delivering reliable products. With in-house engineering, manufacturing, technology, and testing capabilities, Appareo develops products from concept to completion. The company is certified by all the major aviation and manufacturing regulators. Appareo is privately held, with world headquarters in Fargo, N.D., and design offices in Tempe, Ariz. and Paris, France.
ABOUT BROADSWORD
Broadsword is a process improvement and performance innovation firm and CMMI Institute Partner that is the world-leader in using agile and lean methods to drive high-performance engineering using their agile CMMI methodology and collaborative consulting, coaching, and CMMI training solutions. With offices outside of Washington, D.C., Broadsword has a proven record of success throughout North America, and can be reached at www.broadswordsolutions.com.
###
https://www.appareo.com/2019/04/23/appareo-and-broadsword-partner-to-fortify-high-performance-with-cmmi/