Innovative Approaches to Agile Software Development for Secure Modular Avionics Architectures

Avilution is performing pioneering work to further the development of the eXtensible Flight System(XFS), a suite of portable avionics software applications with a common framework, which allows streamlined integration of new sensors, safety, and technology for private and commercial aviation. Avilution uses rapid software development practices with new ideas and technologies to create an innovative avionics architecture. XFS is developing network technologies to provide safer avionics more quickly and at lower cost than traditional avionics. The current capabilities of XFS include basic Flight Management System (FMS), moving map, Primary Flight Display (PFD)/Multi-Function Display (MFD), COMM? Radio/Transponder, Electronic Circuit Breakers (ECBs), mode control panel, environment control, flap and trim control, audio panel integration, and Global Positioning System (GPS)/VHF Omni Directional Radio Range (VOR)/Instrument Landing System (ILS) navigation. The overall technical objective of this proposal is to investigate approaches to align the XFS architecture to the FACE architecture and research how the software implementations of the XFS modules can be adapted to be FACE conformant UoPs. The goal is to find the approach that takes advantage of the enhanced openness provided by the XFS software licensing to further speed the addition of new software capabilities and new hardware devices.