Applications of embedded systems in aerospace

Embedded systems are used in nearly every facet of modern aerospace systems. This includes:

• Instrumentation
• Control systems
• Avionics (control surfaces)
• Communications
• Navigation
• Automatic pilot and landing
• Entertainment systems
• Network connectivity
• Climate control
• Personal comfort (seats, etc.)

Flight-critical systems must meet stringent reliability standards, such as DO-178B reliability standards for aerospace and defense embedded software. These standards mandate specific development and testing methodologies, which must be independently verified/certified for use.

Embedded aerospace software is usually written to be highly deterministic, in order to improve predictability in the system. This usually requires 'sharp' real-time constraints in the software, and promotes the use of either very simple, predictable code, or the use of an approved real-time operating system.

- CG
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