IRIG Data Recorder Validation

ABSTRACT: Through the IRIG-106, Chapter 10 standard, the Range Commanders Councils Telemetry Group maintains a standard for digital data acquisition and recording.Compliance validation is critical to maintaining a marketplace of quality products for the end users of the digital acquisition devices.In Phase I, DMAero proposes to determine the feasibility of producing a modular, open system architecture for an IRIG-106, Chapter 10 validation system.A key focus of the feasibility will be creating an open source software (OSS) architecture to allow community involvement in maintaining and upgrading the validation software suite.Critical design factors included in the OSS architecture are a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) to decouple the open-source application from specific hardware implementations and definition of modular software components critical to successful OSS implementations.A preliminary hardware platform will be defined that balances the use of Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) and custom hardware to maximize performance while reducing cost and schedule.Phase II will produce a prototype validation system, with all hardware and software designs produced by DMAero delivered under an Open Source license.; BENEFIT: Creating a modular, open system architecture validation system provides the Range Commanders Councils Telemetry Group with control over industrys interpretation and implementation of the IRIG-106, Chapter 10 standard.Multiple other avenues exist for commercialization of this product.Manufacturers of Chapter 10 recorders need an effective validation tool to demonstrate compliance of their products with the standard.Prior to actual test events, the validation tool also gives the end users a test set to analyze the functionality of their recording systems.Such analysis is invaluable as DMAeros own experience performing flight testing has encountered faulty data recordings; invalidating expensive test missions that were otherwise successful.