Orolia, the world leader in resilient positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) that was recently acquired by Safran Electronics and Defense, has received certifications for the Ultima-S survival emergency locator transmitter (ELT). The Ultima-S is a new generation ELT installed in either the cabins or liferafts and relays accurate aircraft location information to search and rescue teams.

“With these key certifications for the Ultima-S, Orolia brings a long-awaited solution to the industry,” said Jérôme Ramé, Orolia’s Aviation & Military Product Line Director. “We have developed strong partnerships with several of the leading aircraft manufacturers that will enable operators worldwide to benefit from the Ultima-S for both their linefit and retrofit needs, allowing fleet standardization.”

The transmitter provides free and global coverage service through the dedicated Cospas-Sarsat infrastructure while meeting the highest aviation safety standards. Orolia offers non-rechargeable lithium batteries that are compliant with the latest FAA and EASA special conditions standards, also known under TSO-C142b/DO227A. The Ultima-S also meets the most recent ELT performance and environmental standards through TSO-C126c.

“What makes the Ultima-S unique is a new feature called the Return Link Service (RLS),” said Ramé. “Through this capability, the user is automatically notified when the distress signal is detected and located by the Cospas-Sarsat ground infrastructure. The Ultima-S links directly to the European Galileo GNSS satellite constellation, providing the most reliable and timely information for reaching aircraft crew members in distress.”

Once activated, a 406MHz distress signal is transmitted and includes the ELT location thanks to the Ultima-S internal GNSS receiver. This built-in GNSS capability increases both probability and speed of detection of the distress signal.

In addition to being available on a linefit basis on major aircraft programs, Orolia recently launched an exchange program to make retrofit activities easier for airlines, especially those upgrading to safer battery technology.