This project addressed issues involved with deployment and certification of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) wireless communication technologies for use in systems onboard aircraft.
The project involved two tasks
- Development of a technology roadmap for wireless communication that outlined how and in what form wireless communication may be deployed onboard aircraft.
- Discussions with the appropriate FAA national resource specialists and development of a guideline for certification of aircraft based wireless communication through the FAA and other regulatory agencies responsible for certification of aircraft systems.In preparing the guideline, researchers examined
- The guideline described all relevant issues involved in the certification of wireless communication for airborne applications and defined steps necessary to address and resolve these issues.
- Equipment radio frequency (RF) emission issues
- Equipment susceptibility to RF emissions
- Health and safety issues of RF emissions including
- Effects of long exposure on humans
- Effects on medical devices
- Risk of fuel ignition
- Coexistence with other wireless devices using similar technology
- Power level control
- Frequency management/channel assignment
