Authority
RTCA
Applicability
Software used in airborne systems and equipment where development assurance is part of the certification or TSO authorization showing.
Status
Current
Plain-English Explainer
RTCA DO-178C defines a structured development-assurance framework for airborne software. It covers planning, requirements, design, coding, integration, verification, configuration management, quality assurance and certification liaison objectives.
Modern electric and VTOL aircraft rely heavily on software for flight controls, energy management, motor control, avionics, displays and other safety-significant functions. Certification therefore depends not only on what the software does, but on evidence that its development and verification process is commensurate with the software's safety role.
FAA AC 20-115D recognizes DO-178C and its EUROCAE equivalent ED-12C as an acceptable means, but not the only means, for showing compliance for airborne-software aspects.
