Honda Aircraft has received US FAA approval to equip the HondaJet Elite II with Garmin’s Emergency Autoland system, making it the first twin-engine jet certified for the technology. Honda Aircraft announced the approval on February 4, 2026, marking a milestone for the autonomous safety system in the light jet category.
Emergency Autoland, developed by Garmin in 2019, allows an aircraft to land itself in the event the pilot becomes incapacitated. The system had previously been approved on a range of single-engine airplanes, turboprops, and the Cirrus Vision Jet, but the HondaJet Elite II becomes the first production twinjet to receive certification for the capability.
Honda Aircraft said the system has been highly anticipated by HondaJet customers and confirmed it is pursuing similar approvals with aviation authorities in other regions. The Greensboro, North Carolina-based manufacturer completed certification flight testing of the system in October 2025, clearing the way for FAA approval.
“Adding Emergency Autoland to the HondaJet Elite II demonstrates our commitment to delivering new value to our customers,” said Honda Aircraft president and CEO Hideto Yamasaki. “I’m proud that our team is fulfilling this promise by offering Emergency Autoland and giving our HondaJet Elite II customers greater peace of mind during every flight.”
Emergency Autoland is designed to activate either automatically or manually. Onboard monitoring systems can detect pilot unresponsiveness and engage the system without pilot input, or occupants can activate it by pressing a dedicated button in the cockpit. Once engaged, the system transmits an emergency code, initiates radio calls to alert air traffic control and other nearby aircraft, and begins managing the aircraft autonomously.
The system evaluates weather conditions, terrain, fuel status, and available runways to select an appropriate diversion airport. It then configures the aircraft for approach, flies the landing, and brings the airplane to a full stop on the runway, applying brakes as required.
Certification of the system follows the HondaJet Elite II’s approval to equip autothrottles in October 2024, a key enabling technology for Emergency Autoland. Honda Aircraft has emphasized that the integration of autothrottles was a critical step toward enabling full autonomous landing capability in the twin-engine jet.
The HondaJet Elite II becomes the ninth aircraft type approved to use Emergency Autoland, with additional certifications expected. Garmin has said the system is slated for installation on several forthcoming aircraft, including next-generation variants of the Cessna Citation CJ3 and CJ4. Many in-production turboprops are already equipped with the system or are in the process of securing approvals.
The approval highlights the steady expansion of autonomous safety technology into more complex turbine aircraft. While Emergency Autoland is intended strictly for rare emergency scenarios, manufacturers and regulators have increasingly pointed to it as a meaningful safety enhancement, particularly for single-pilot operations.
Honda Aircraft has delivered more than 250 HondaJets worldwide and continues development of its larger HondaJet Echelon, announced in 2023.
