Skyband Systems M100 LRU Validates GNSS Jamming Protection

Skyband Systems has validated the navigation accuracy of its M100 Line Replaceable Unit (LRU), a system designed to counter the growing threat of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) jamming and spoofing using Iridium Communications’ new satellite technology.

In an August 2026 company announcement, the Kirkland, Washington-based aviation technology Startups detailed the results of a June 2026 test flight. The M100 fuses independent onboard inertial sensing with Iridium’s Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) chip to provide a resilient navigation layer that augments traditional GPS.

Combating GNSS interference with Low Earth Orbit signals

The aviation industry faces a rising volume of GNSS spoofing and jamming incidents. To address this vulnerability, the M100 provides a dissimilar, reinforcing PNT layer. According to Skyband Systems, the Iridium PNT signal is 1,000 times stronger than traditional GNSS systems like GPS.

During the June 2026 Test-Flights, the tightly coupled Navigation system demonstrated a P95 navigation accuracy of 100 meters compared to GPS. The hardware enabling this capability is highly compact. Iridium announced the commercial availability of its PNT ASIC on July 14, 2026, noting the chip measures 8×8 millimeters and weighs under 0.2 grams.

“Iridium’s secure and powerful global service is the perfect platform for Skyband’s resilient navigation product,” said Robert Wiggenhorn, Co-founder and President of Skyband Systems, in a July statement. “We are excited to partner with Iridium as they launch the Iridium PNT ASIC and look forward to further strengthening their legacy of aircraft innovation and safety.”

Certification and flight deck integration strategy

Skyband Systems, founded on January 1, 2026, by former SpaceX Starlink Aviation engineers Wiggenhorn and Will Seidel, is currently pursuing Supplemental Type Certification (STC) for the M100. Initial certification efforts target the Embraer Praetor 600, Embraer Praetor 500, Embraer Legacy 500, and Embraer Legacy 450 aircraft platforms.

The company has opted for an installation strategy that avoids complex flight deck Avionics integration. According to reporting by Runway Girl Network, the M100 is designed to be installed in an aircraft’s Equipment and Electronics (E&E) bay. The system alerts flight crews to jamming or spoofing events via a tablet-based Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) application, integrating with third-party software such as Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro and ForeFlight.

In an August 16, 2026, interview with Runway Girl Network, Wiggenhorn explained the rationale behind this architecture. He noted the approach offers a faster path to STC and installation because it does not require fuselage modifications.

“We think that that actually is going to be the way that we can deliver the most amount of capability in the fastest amount of time because we don’t have to go deal with integrating into the flight deck,” Wiggenhorn told the publication.

AirPro News analysis

The rapid development of the M100 highlights the urgency operators feel regarding GNSS spoofing, a safety hazard that has escalated sharply in recent years. By leveraging Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite signals that overpower typical ground-based jamming equipment, Skyband Systems is addressing a critical vulnerability in modern flight operations. We view the decision to bypass primary flight display integration in favor of EFB alerts as a pragmatic market entry strategy. This architecture allows operators to quickly add a validation layer for their primary GPS without triggering the lengthy certification cycles typically associated with deep avionics modifications.

Sources: Skyband Systems LinkedIn