With the proliferation of so-called "smart" components and the availability of small, low-cost, and high-speed data networks, avionics that have traditionally been centralized are becoming distributed. A distributed approach offers many potential benefits, such as reduced development time and cost, simplified system installation, increased flexibility for system expansion or modifications, and greater reuse of proven components. The distributed approach can also reduce the risk associated with design errors by splitting complex hardware and software into more manageable components. However, distributed systems also introduce new challenges in meeting real-time deadlines and providing fault tolerance. This paper examines the many design considerations and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each. Emerging automotive drive-by-wire alternatives are compared for application to aerospace systems. This paper is based on a Draper Laboratory-sponsored effort to look at flight-critical distributed systems and to evaluate emerging hardware and software for building them.
Flight-critical distributed systems: design considerations [avionics]
IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Magazine ; 18 , 6 ; 30-36
2003-06-01
543204 byte
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Flight-Critical Distributed Systems: Design Considerations
Online Contents | 2003
|Open systems avionics architectures considerations
IEEE | 2003
|Helicopter avionics architecture for integrating flight critical functions
Tema Archive | 1986
|First use of Ada in flight-critical avionics
AIAA | 1986
|