Organizations use Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and Model-Based Design to comply with safety and security aerospace certification standards for:
- Requirements management: Import, author, formalize, validate, and trace requirements
- System architectures and behavioral models: Model, analyze, and simulate
- Code generation: Generate C, C++, VHDL®, and Verilog® code from models
- Static and dynamic verification: Author, link, and execute test cases; use formal methods on models and code
- Qualification: Qualify tools according to DO-330 and generate reports
By integrating these practices, organizations can efficiently manage certification processes and generate necessary evidence.
Your Certification Journey
MathWorks consultants can work with you on a customized implementation plan toward Aerospace Certification Standards Compliance. Contact us today to get started.
You can use MATLAB and Simulink products to support key aerospace standards such as ARP4754B for developing civil aircraft and systems, ARP4761A for safety assessment, and DO-326A for security assessment.
With MBSE and Model-Based Design, you can use MATLAB and Simulink products, including System Composer, Simulink Fault Analyzer, and Requirements Toolbox to:
- Capture system requirements in textual and model formats
- Perform requirements validation
- Design and test robust system architectures
- Conduct thorough verification activities at different levels
The process connects higher-level system designs and lower-level software and hardware implementations, creating a digital thread and traceability essential for certification.
Gulfstream used System Composer to create eSAM, a systems engineering method that enables engineers to build models of electronic systems and directly connect architecture and software functional models in Simulink.
Industry Examples
- Gulfstream, The Electronic System Architecture Modeling Method (eSAM)
- Embraer Speeds Requirements Engineering and Prototyping of Legacy 500 Flight Control System
- Alenia Aermacchi Develops Autopilot
- Airbus Develops Fuel Management System for the A380 Using Model-Based Design
- Airbus Helicopters Accelerates Development
The DO-178C standard defines a set of objectives and activities for software to be approved for use in airborne systems. You can reduce risks and effort using Model-Based Design by:
- Iterating and refining software requirements by creating executable specifications
- Defining architecture and confirming your design choices for robustness and maintainability leveraging modeling and simulation
- Demonstrating code and executable coverage through back-to-back testing and traceability from requirements to tests
- Automating model and code review activities
- Reducing testing activities with formal methods
Learn More
- DO-178C Workflow - Poster
- Model-Based Design for DO-178C/DO-331 Compliance - Training
- Helicopter Flight Control: A Model-Based Design Example for DO-178C and DO-331 - Documentation
- Modeling Standards II: Model Advisor Checks for DO-178C/DO-331 - Documentation
- DO-178C Software Lifecycle Overview - Documentation
Industry Examples
- Rolls-Royce Certifiable Production Code Development: Slides | Our Journey Towards Model-Based Product Lines (31:49)
- Airbus Defence and Space Develops Safety-Critical Avionics Using Model-Based Design
- AeroDef Industry Working Group Guidelines with Airbus, BAE, MBDA, Leonardo
- Airbus Helicopters Accelerates Development of DO-178B Certified Software with Model-Based Design
The DO-254 standard defines a set of objectives for the certification of Airborne Electronic Hardware (AEH). MATLAB and Simulink enable you to comply with DO-254 objectives and support its processes:
- Requirements management and tracing
- Conformance to design standards
- HDL code generation
- Verification and validation
Using Model-Based Design also helps you satisfy DO-254 objectives while realizing cost and time-to-market benefits associated with early verification of requirements, automated linking to requirements, model and code standards checking, code generation, report artifact generation, and test case reuse at different levels.
Learn More
- Design Assurance Guidance with DO-254 Using Model-Based Design - Poster
- DO-254 Model-Based Design Workflow - Poster
- Enabling MBD for DO-254 Certification Compliance - White Paper
- Achieving STARC and DO-254 Compliance Using HDL Coder Generated Code - Technical Article
- What Is UVM Verification? - Discovery
- DO-254 Hardware Lifecycle Overview - Documentation
Using MATLAB and Simulink, the AEH Group at Airbus Defence and Space developed a flaps HLCU unit for Airbus C295 aircrafts.
Industry Examples
The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in production is growing, demanding model explanation, verification, and validation, especially in high-integrity embedded systems development. Ensuring AI's trustworthiness and reliability in these areas involves challenges such as ensuring data traceability, quality, and coverage and building repeatable, robust, interpretable, and scalable models for integration into larger systems. These efforts are further complicated by the lack of established industry-specific AI standards. MathWorks is part of the SAE WG-114, which is working on the definition of the certification standard.
Learn More
- Verify an Airborne Deep Learning System - Example
- Runway Sign Classifier: Certify an Airborne Deep Learning System - Documentation
- Toward Certification of Machine-Learning Systems for Low Criticality Airborne Applications - Paper
- Runway Sign Classifier: A DAL C Certifiable Machine Learning System - Paper
Using a MATLAB deep learning processor IP core, Airbus implemented deep learning models in FPGAs for anomaly detection on spacecraft via HDL code generation.
Industry Examples
The processes required to develop software and electronic hardware for space systems are defined by multiple regional standards, such as NASA Software Engineering Requirements (NPR 7150.2), European Cooperation for Space Standardization Space Engineering Software (ECSS-E-ST-40) and Software Product Assurance (ECSS-Q-ST-80), and European Cooperation for Space Standardization for FPGAs and ASICs Space Engineering (ECSS-E-ST-20-40C) and quality (ECSS-Q-ST-60-03C).
You can develop certifiable code that conforms to these standards by using Model-Based Design to:
- Maintain, allocate, and trace requirements and validate them through behavioral simulation
- Define and maintain architectures and link them natively to simulation
- Develop, test, and implement algorithms into software code
- Use formal methods to ensure design robustness and comply with static code analysis requirements
- Automate design flows and reporting
Learn More
NASA Ames Research Center modeled the spacecraft and its control systems, generated C code, performed HIL and PIL tests, and created a training simulator.
MathWorks Consulting Services work with you to migrate your existing development process or to establish a new one using MBSE or Model-Based Design. Tailored to your specific environment, tools, and applications, the Certification Advisory Service identifies gaps in your current processes, develops a road map for an optimized workflow, and assists you in deploying that road map.
MathWorks Consulting Services prepares you to perform key modeling, code generation, and tool qualification activities to achieve the objectives of ARP4754B, ARP4761A, DO-254, and DO-178C and its supplemental documents.
Key Benefits:
- Lower schedule and budget risk
- Reduce development time and cost
- Compliance, reduced certification time
- Higher productivity and ROI
- Enhanced partner relationships
Certification Advisory—Typical Elements:
- Planning documents review
- Requirements traceability
- Requirements-based testing, model coverage
- Model standards checking
- Code generation, automated traceability review
- Host and on-target testing with structural coverage (SW)
- Automation of lifecycle artifact creation
- Tool qualification
Contact MathWorks Consulting Services to discuss your specific requirements.
Customized Training Pathways
In addition to consulting services, MathWorks offers customized training pathways that equip you with hands-on experience and a comprehensive understanding of how to use the products. These pathways are designed to complement MathWorks Consulting Services, helping you navigate your certification journey. The showcased learning paths below show the names of the different available courses.
DO-178C: Model-Based Design Training Pathways
DO-254: Model-Based Design Training Pathways
Aerospace Certification Standards Compliance FAQs
The best way to get started using MATLAB and Simulink for standards such as DO-178C and DO-254 is to try the examples in our documentation. You should also consider our three-day Model-Based Design for DO-178C/DO-331 Compliance training course.
Yes, MathWorks provides guidance and solutions tailored to comply with Systems Engineering standards such as SAE ARP4754B, SAE ARP4761A, and the DO-326A set. With products such as Requirements Toolbox, System Composer, and Simulink Fault Analyzer, you can capture system requirements in textual and model formats. You can conduct safety and security analyses such as Functional Hazard Analysis (FHA), Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), and System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA), and also perform requirements validation, design and test robust system architectures, and conduct thorough verification activities at different levels of abstraction.
For DO-254, MathWorks has a recommended workflow from requirements capture, using Simulink models to represent the conceptual design, HDL code generation using HDL Coder to get to the detailed design, and covering different types of verification such as co-simulation, generation of test benches, UVM, and so on, focusing on the reusability of test cases.
MathWorks is part of the working group developing SAE ARP6983 for verification and validation of deployed artificial intelligence systems. For more information, view the following reference examples for a Runway Sign Classifier and a Collision Avoidance System.
Yes, MathWorks supports multiple space systems standards. These include NASA Software Engineering Requirements (NPR 7150.2), European Cooperation for Space Standardization Space Engineering Software (ECSS-E-ST-40), and Software Product Assurance (ECSS-Q-ST-80), and European Cooperation for Space Standardization for FPGAs, and ASICs Space Engineering (ECSS-E-ST-20-40C), and quality (ECSS-Q-ST-60-03C).
MathWorks provides consulting and training services to help you throughout your certification journey. The MathWorks Consulting Services team prepares you to perform key modeling, code generation, and tool qualification activities to achieve the objectives of ARP4754B, ARP4761A, DO-254, and DO-178C and its supplemental documents. The team also provides custom tool qualification support. Contact MathWorks Consulting Services to discuss your specific requirements. The MathWorks Training Services team offers both custom training courses as well as a public Model-Based Design for DO-178C/DO-331 Compliance course.
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