Garmin releases new aviator smartwatches

The new watches will help pilots make informed decisions about their fitness to fly, providing the wearer with a "morning report" on the weather outlook at a chosen airport, along with a health summary including sleep and activity data. Both watches support voice commands such as "direct to" or "show me the METAR," and allow users to record geotagged voice notes.

The 45-millimeter D2 Air X15 ($649.99 suggested retail price) features a bright AMOLED (active matrix organic light-emitting diode) touch-screen display that can dynamically change colors based on current weather conditions at the user's selected airport. A newly added LED flashlight can be adjusted to multiple intensities of white light, with a red light option for use at night. Pilots flying aircraft equipped with Garmin's PlaneSync avionics relay can remotely access the aircraft dashboard on the watch to view information about the fuel and electrical systems, as well as database and location information.

The D2 Mach 2 comes in two sizes: 47 mm, with a suggested retail price of $1,349.99, and a 51 mm version priced at $1,499.99, incorporating all of the D2 Air X15 features and a few more—including what Garmin bills as the "most advanced aviation maps on any Garmin aviator watch to date." The AMOLED display of the D2 Mach 2 renders detailed topography, terrain shading, color-coded airspace, charted and user-created waypoints, and other details. The flight path can be displayed using a live track log or breadcrumb display, and the aircraft icon can be set to display a piston, turboprop, jet, or helicopter.

The D2 Mach 2 will alert pilots when weather conditions approach user-defined personal minimums, including visibility, wind, density altitude, and ceilings. The D2 Mach 2 monitors metars and alerts the wearer when conditions deteriorate below personal minimums with a color change, turning the weather elements on the watch display orange. The D2 Mach 2 can also be used underwater, with a 40-meter dive rating.

Learn more about Garmin's new watches on the company website.