TTTech Aerospace has released a certifiable Deterministic Ethernet network interface card for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Working with Mercury Systems and SYSGO, TTTech Aerospace is supplying its TTEEnd System A664 Pro (PMC) card to connect the flight control computer from Mercury Systems to the mission system of a UAV, using SYSGO’s PikeOS operating system.
TTTech Aerospace’s TTEEnd System A664 Pro (PMC) delivers Deterministic Ethernet and uniquely integrates best-effort IEEE 802.3 Ethernet, rate-constrained ARINC 664 part 7 and Time-Triggered SAE AS6802 Ethernet into one physical infrastructure.
The TTEEnd System A664 Pro (PMC) is certifiable to civil aerospace standards, including RTCA DO-254/DO-178C DAL A and DO-160G. It can be paired with TTTech Aerospace’s Ethernet switching building blocks and network configuration tools for safety-critical applications in everything from UAVs to large aircraft.
“We are very proud that our certifiable TTEEnd System A664 Pro (PMC) card was successfully integrated in a modern UAV avionics system,” said Javier Gadea, Product Manager, TTTech Aerospace. “Our TTEEnd System software driver was adapted to support SYSGO’s DAL A certifiable hard real-time RTOS and hypervisor PikeOS, becoming a standard in the aerospace industry. We are delivering our deterministic network interface card and the related driver to Mercury Systems, for their integration into the flight-control computer. It was great working with the highly experienced teams of Mercury Systems and SYSGO during this great program and we look forward to the certification of our network interface card in the coming months.”
The UAV’s updated avionics use TTTech Aerospace’s TTEEnd System A664 Pro (PMC) card, an ARINC 664 part 7 standard compliant network interface card fully supporting AFDX. The card ensures dual-redundant communication via Deterministic Ethernet with other elements of the avionics network, a requirement for safety-critical applications.
“Our collaboration with TTTech Aerospace started eight years ago with a research project funded by the German Aerospace Center (DLR),” said Franz Walkembach, VP Marketing & Alliances at SYSGO. “It is great to see the joint work now being successfully deployed with our certified real-time operating system (RTOS) PikeOS together with the customized driver software from TTTech Aerospace integrated in Mercury Systems’ flight-control computer. This joint solution enables modular and certifiable avionics platforms that are well-suited to European and international UAV programs.”
“We were able to offer our customer a reliable, certifiable interface for our high-performance flight-control computer solution,” said Mercury Systems’ Vice President of International Growth Operations, Paul Tanner. “This reduced their programmatic and technical risk and allowed them to achieve certification for their UAV in a timely fashion. We have appreciated the work with TTTech Aerospace and their great team of highly skilled engineers.”
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