EXTON, PA — Innovative Aerosystems (Nasdaq: IA) has secured a contract to develop and supply avionics equipment for Dornier Seawings’ Seastar amphibious aircraft, expanding the Exton-based company’s presence in aircraft manufacturing programs with a potential production horizon of approximately 300 aircraft over 10 years.
The agreement calls for Innovative Aerosystems to develop, test, certify and manufacture its Liberty Data Acquisition Unit, or DAU, for integration into the Seastar’s avionics systems.
The program began in September 2026 and is scheduled to advance through engineering design reviews, prototype hardware deliveries, qualification testing and regulatory certification. The company is targeting Technical Standard Order authorization in 2028.
Dornier Seawings expects to deliver approximately 300 Seastar aircraft during the program’s first decade, providing a potential long-term production opportunity for Innovative Aerosystems as the aircraft manufacturer advances its development and delivery plans.
The Liberty DAU is based on Innovative Aerosystems’ existing Utilities Management System technology and serves as a central data-processing component within its broader Liberty avionics architecture.
The dual-channel system collects, processes and validates information from multiple aircraft sensors before distributing that data to other onboard systems.
Its functions include supporting engine indications, crew alerts, aircraft system displays and integration with flight data recording equipment.
These capabilities allow aircraft operators to monitor critical systems and receive information about operating conditions through the aircraft’s avionics infrastructure.
Innovative Aerosystems will also provide aircraft integration services, qualification and certification support, ground and flight-test assistance, and training.
The scope extends the company’s involvement beyond equipment manufacturing to engineering and technical support throughout the aircraft development and certification process.
The selection strengthens Innovative Aerosystems’ relationship with an original equipment manufacturer, or OEM, and provides another application for its proprietary avionics technology.
Chief Executive Officer Shahram Askarpour identified the contract as part of the company’s strategy to expand its equipment offerings across aircraft platforms.
“By leveraging our established Utilities Management System technology, we can deliver advanced, scalable solutions tailored to individual aircraft programs,” Askarpour stated.
He added that Innovative Aerosystems is pursuing additional opportunities to increase its equipment content on aircraft and establish longer-term relationships with manufacturers.
Dornier Seawings specializes in composite amphibious aircraft, which are designed to operate from both conventional runways and water.
The Seastar program will incorporate the Liberty DAU as part of its onboard avionics architecture, with the equipment undergoing development and certification activities before planned production integration.
For Innovative Aerosystems, the contract establishes a multiyear development and manufacturing program tied to Dornier Seawings’ anticipated aircraft deliveries, while extending the commercial application of its existing avionics technology.
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