New Zealand-based Spidertracks announced a significant OEM endorsement for its low-cost flight tracking system at Heli-Expo 2014, with Robinson Helicopter now offering the Bluetooth text-enabled Spider S5 as an option on the R22, R44 and R66 models. The agreement marks the first time a rotorcraft manufacturer has offered the portable Spidertracks system from the factory.

“Robinson realized that our system offered significant advantages over competing tracking solutions,” Hannes Geiger, North American communications spokesman for Spidertracks, told AIN.

All new Robinson aircraft will include a prewired power lead for the Spider S5, allowing the component to be quickly mounted atop the instrument cluster at the customer’s request. At less than half a pound and smaller than a home garage door opener, the Spider S5 is marketed as a portable electronic device, so STC approval is not required for installation on civil aircraft.

“We think the Spidertracks system offers an excellent overall value and believe that satellite-based tracking provides significant safety benefits over ELTs,” said Robinson Helicopter president Kurt Robinson.