The uAvionix integrated SkyBeacon and TailBeacon ADS-B Out plus strobe and/or nav light combo units are on track to receive TSO certification in the second quarter and fourth quarter, respectively, Shane Woodson, director of sales for uAvionix, said on Wednesday at Sun ’n‘ Fun 2018. “Connection is easy, with just three wires and a mouth-style mounting coupler. But what we’ve done to make the ADS-B antenna work is basically impregnate it into the printed circuit board,” he told AIN. “It took a lot of research…and flight testing.”

SkyBeacon works with existing transponders, and installation is relatively simple, requiring connection of power, ground, and if equipped, a strobe wire, then configuration using a mobile app. SkyBeacon replaces the original navigation light and strobe with its own built-in LED nav and strobe lights.

For aircraft with incompatible wingtip lighting, uAvionix’s TailBeacon, a similar ADS-B Out-compliant unit, replaces the white rear navigation light. TailBeacon will also be available for rotorcraft, and it has already been test flown successfully on helicopters.

SkyBeacon is available for experimental aircraft for $1,499, and uAvionix expects the certified version to sell for $1,750 to $2,000. The target price for both the skyBeacon and skySensor ADS-B In wingtip unit is $2,500. The tailBeacon price should be the same as the skyBeacon.