One of the world's largest aerospace companies has signed a licensing deal with Canberra's Seeing Machines to use the local company's pilot monitoring technology in its flight decks and simulators.
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Minnesota-based Collins Aerospace, which is owned by defence conglomerate Raytheon Technologies, is a major supplier of specialist componentry for a range of aircraft and space applications, including producing spacesuits for NASA and control systems, avionics and cabin/flight deck systems for aircraft manufacturers.
In return for exclusive access to the Seeing Machines algorithms and technology, Collins will pay $3 million up front and a further $7 million over the next two years, as well as payments for engineering solutions. Royalty payments are also certain to flow as the tech is onsold to Collins clients.
The companies will work together on harnessing the SM eye-tracking tech and adapting it for Collins' flight decks. The US company already has a high degree of expertise in flight vision systems, having developed a multi-spectral imaging sensor for the Boeing 737 which "sees through" poor visibility and darkness better than the human eye.
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Tony Brunk, president of Collins' avionics division, said the agreement would "further enhance our solutions".
"Seeing Machines' cutting-edge technology, coupled with our expertise in avionics and flight controls, will help us deliver innovative products that address the evolving needs of our customers," he said.
Seeing Machines chief executive officer Paul McGlone said his company's experience in developing its tech for the aviation industry over the past five years enabled it to exploit an "existing pipeline of business opportunities", indicating the Collins partnership would allow it to scale up.
"Our business operates with high barriers to entry and we have been uncontested in this space to date," he said.
"Being able to deliver for our customers on a scale we could not do independently demonstrates the superiority ... of our proprietary technology."
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