Huneed to develop telecommunication equipment for aircrafts

By Lee Min-hyung

Huneed Technologies, an aerospace and defense parts manufacturer in Korea, is making inroads into the commercial aircraft market by signing partnerships with the world's leading lighting and aircraft fuselage makers, the Korean company said Monday.

Under the strategic alliance, Huneed will team up with Latecoere, a French airplane parts manufacturer, and Signify, the world's leading lighting firm, to develop in-flight telecommunication equipment using Light Fidelity (LiFi) wireless communication technology.

LiFi uses wavelengths of light, and is cited as one of the most effective telecommunication technologies in use for aircraft. Expectations are that the technology will allow aircraft to reduce fuel consumption, as the equipment is less heavy than traditional telecommunication equipment, according to Huneed.

“We are thrilled to be recognized by Latecoere for our expertise in communication technology and manufacturing knowledge to be part of this ground-breaking partnership,” Huneed Technologies Chairman Eugene Kim said.

“This opportunity seamlessly aligns with our growth strategy of globally scaling our aerospace business unit into commercial aviation,” he said. “Huneed will ensure the delivery of LiFi data communication electronics and software to enable the widespread adoption of this technology that will play a critical role in the next generation of smart cabins and in developing best-in-class passenger experience.”

The leader of Latecoere also expressed hopes for the recent partnership, saying this will be the stepping stone for more widespread use of the technology in aircraft cabins.

“Partnering with two leaders in their respective sectors, such as Signify and Huneed Technologies, will enable new opportunities and horizons for Latecoere's LiFi, to ensure its widespread use in airplane cabins,” Latecoere CEO Yannick Assouad said.

Huneed will be in charge of manufacturing core equipment of the LiFi-based telecommunication system, such as fiber optic routers, the company said.

The Korean firm, based in the nation's western city of Incheon, holds decades-long expertise particularly in the development of telecommunication equipment and defense parts.

The company has so far focused on manufacturing aviation parts for the military, but it has recently started to expand its presence into the commercial sector by signing a string of partnerships with the world's top-tier aircraft parts makers, as part of its revenue diversification strategy and expand its global profile.

Last week, an Airbus commercial aircraft successfully finished a test-flight with Li-Fi equipment on board.

Huneed said the product will be mass-produced and supplied to the market in less than a year.