UAE emerging as global hub for advanced aviation technology: Honeywell

emirates7 - The United Arab Emirates has become a global centre for developing advanced aviation technologies, driven by supportive regulation and strong infrastructure, according to Anthony Florian, President EMEAI at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) at the Dubai Air2025, Florian said that partnerships with UAE entities enable Honeywell to test and deploy data- and AI-driven solutions that enhance safety and operational efficiency. He said the UAE has a clear vision for adopting predictive systems that mitigate risks in advance.

Florian added that Honeywell is working with local institutions to support commercial and private fleets through technologies designed to increase reliability and improve operational response. The UAE, he added, is among the world’s most active adopters of advanced air-traffic management systems.

He noted that Honeywell’s safety strategy builds on more than a century in the aviation sector and has evolved from reactive systems to AI-enabled predictive tools that strengthen pilots’ situational awareness. These technologies, he said, are designed to assist pilots rather than replace them, providing additional protection to reduce operational errors.

He said the company is enhancing the capabilities of modern aircraft through autonomous-control systems, energy-efficiency solutions and advanced aircraft-management software, many of which are being rolled out across commercial and private aviation to increase automation, reduce pilot workload and strengthen safety.

Florian highlighted Honeywell’s Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS), a global safety standard that provides pilots with early alerts of terrain, obstacles and runway-related hazards.

He also cited the SmartRunway and SmartLanding programmes, built on the EGPWS platform, which offer visual and audio alerts to reduce runway incursions and unstable approaches. The systems are installed on more than 700 Southwest Airlines aircraft in one of the world’s largest runway-safety programmes.

He said the company’s new SURF-A system, expected to enter service in 2026, will provide precise monitoring of aircraft and vehicle movements on runways using GPS and ADS-B data, providing an additional safety layer.

Honeywell also supplies the RDR-4000 weather radar, capable of generating 3D storm-cell imagery to help pilots avoid turbulence and adjust flight paths proactively.

Florian said each new system forms part of an integrated architecture linking real-time data with advanced analytics, enabling pilots and operators to manage flights more efficiently, particularly in congested airspace.

He said advanced air mobility (AAM) represents a major shift in future aviation as the use of electric vertical-takeoff aircraft and autonomous platforms expands. Honeywell is developing Fly-By-Wire systems, autonomy-ready flight decks and advanced electrical components to accelerate adoption.