Hardware and Software Engineering Services for Aerospace and Avionics

photo of airplane flying above cloudsFrom DO-178-compliant software development and Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) to flightworthy hardware solutions, display systems and support equipment, General Digital has the processes, procedures, and experience you need.

We’ll get your products off the ground—and keep them there

Our decades of experience designing, developing, verifying, and deploying FAA and MIL-Certified solutions prove that we can tackle any aerospace engineering challenge.

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Aerospace and Avionics: Software Development

Our software development team offers a full suite of support for every stage of implementation, including embedded firmware development and software development in many technologies.

  • C/C++, C#, Assembly
  • Ada, LabVIEW, Perl, Python
  • SGL, Ruby, Qt
  • Freescale/NXP, ARM, Renesas
  • WCF, WPF
  • Xamarin, Mono, XAML
  • Proprietary RTOS, Embedded Linux
  • Android, IOS
  • TCP-based protocols, CAN, Bluetooth
  • Many more

With the addition of our verification services, you benefit from a complete lifecycle solution. Call 800-952-2535 now or e-mail us to discuss your project with our team.

Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V)

Independent Verification & Validation isn’t just about quality assurance. It’s about ensuring your safety-critical software and systems are built and running correctly.

Since 1998, our engineers have been iterating and augmenting our proprietary suite of IV&V tools, GenIViVe™, to be one of the most robust, comprehensive and efficient unit testing tools available. Combined with our trained team of experienced on-shore engineers, we can account for every possibility, ensuring 100% product reliability—in accordance with the standards of certifying bodies.

Avionics IV&V Standards

  • DO-178
  • DO-326
  • DO-254 (Systems Testing)

Avionics IV&V: Our Proven Process

  • Requirements Development
  • Project Coordination
  • Tool Qualification
  • Discrepancy Resolution
  • Test Planning and Execution
  • Results Reporting

Additional IV&V Services

  • Implement test requirements
  • Provide a reliable method to outsource
  • Develop custom test requirements based on your software criticality level
  • Make test tool and simulator recommendations

DO-178 Compliant Software Services

General Digital Offers DO-178-Compliant Software Services For Safety-Critical Environments

While DO-178 was originally released in the 1980s, it wasn’t until the release of DO-178B in 1992 that it truly became the gold standard for avionic software requirements. In the last thirty years, our team has worked on aircraft from single engine planes to commercial jets, and even drones and autonomous vehicles, in support of DO-178B certification, as well as the more recent DO-178C standard, and their European counterparts (ED-12B/C).

One of the most fundamental aspects of DO-178 is the Design Assurance Level (DAL). Design Assurance Levels range from DAL-A to DAL-E. DAL-A is applied when failure or malfunction of the software can result in catastrophic failure of the aircraft. DAL-E doesn’t fall under the scope of DO-178, as this classification designates that the software has no impact on aircraft safety.

A good way to think about preparing for a DO-178 certification is Stage of Involvement (SOI) reviews. These reviews are presented in stages to the certifying body, and represent key milestones in the certification process.

  • SOI #1 – Planning Review
  • SOI #2 – Development Review
  • SOI #3 – Verification Review
  • SOI #4 – Certification (Final) Review

It’s crucial to note that all four stages of the process must be considered from the beginning. For example, waiting until SOI #1 & #2 have been accepted before considering your verification & validation process is a crucial error.

We follow a 1:10:100 rule, where something that costs $1 to fix in planning costs $10 to fix in development and $100 to fix during verification. A key part of preparing for your validation early is by considering the tools that you will be using to do so, and ensuring those tools are qualified in compliance with DO-330 guidelines.

Whether you just need IV&V, development, or an all-encompassing certification effort, we’re able to function as an extension of your engineering department, taking on as much or as little of your project as required to get it up in the air.

Call us today to get safely airborne tomorrow

Design & Prototyping

Alta SUDS Mobile in Operating Position In addition to our robust Software Engineering capabilities, our team of electrical and mechanical engineers can work with you to design and build to your requirements. We can tackle whatever you need, from a simple design review to full prototyping and production cycle management. Make your dream a reality with our engineering and manufacturing services.

Rugged Displays

Photo of aircraft cockpit with General Digital displaysFrom cockpit displays and in-flight entertainment systems to workstations for military aircraft, our team has been providing flightworthy display equipment for decades. Find a display suitable for your airborne application in our Interactive Product Catalog or speak with an expert today.

Trusted by the Military and Leading Aerospace and Avionics Companies

General Digital: AS9100D & ISO 9001:2015 QMS Certified

Graphic of AS9100d & ISO 9001:2015 QMS Certified MarkGeneral Digital Corporation has been a leading provider of defense-related engineering services for decades, and our commitment to providing quality products and services is second to none. We are compliant with DFARS, NIST, and CMMC. All products and services are manufactured and performed at our AS9100D- and ISO 9001:2015 QMS-certified facility in East Hartford, Connecticut.

General Digital Software Engineering Services has maintained a reputation for meeting our customers’ demands with accurate, on time, and cost-efficient software service and support.

Take a look at our product catalog to find a display that meets your requirements, or contact us to discuss options today.