Innovative Advantage

Innovative Advantage makes cabin systems for business aircraft. Its main product is AVDS, short for audio, video and data distribution system. AVDS is a backbone that carries video, sound and network data through an aircraft cabin. The company is in Kirkland, Washington, and is part of Heads Up Technologies Group.

The system runs over dual fiber optic rings. It carries 4K video, audio and Ethernet. It works with any cabin management system, which is the software that controls cabin features. The site says it is lightweight, modular and scalable.

The company says AVDS sends each video signal at full, uncompressed quality, up to 3 Gbps per signal. It also says there is no delay, so computer presentations, video on demand and games can run on the network. The system supports NTSC and PAL signals and can convert frame rates.

For sound, the site says AVDS can carry over 500 channels of stereo and multichannel digital audio. Nodes come with 8 slots or 4 slots. Each node has 3 Ethernet ports.

The solutions pages cover the audio and video backbone, high definition upgrades, streaming and OEM hardware. Streaming lets a passenger use a phone or tablet as a personal screen for any entertainment source. Custom upgrades are set up for each aircraft and leave room to grow.

Other products include a 4K UHD HDMI board, a Bluetooth adapter, a power hold-up unit, a cabin server, and monitor and audio modules. The site reports that AVDS has been installed on over 1,000 aircraft and is the cabin backbone chosen by a major aircraft maker.

Innovative Advantage has also partnered with ALTO to bring Dolby Atmos sound to business jets. A 24-hour AOG support line is listed. AOG means aircraft on ground, a case where a grounded aircraft needs help fast. The site has a request for quote form, news and a careers page.