Increased use of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) in supply chain and logistics has led to increasing demand for, and subsequent development of, a myriad of low cost, disposable RFID tags. Such tags are designed to identify consumable products that will pass through the supply chain once and then be disposed of, thus having a relatively short service life. Meanwhile, RFID tags used for banking and security, such as identification badges and credit cards, are more durable, but have limited storage memory and require close proximity to RFID readers. At the other end of the capability/durability spectrum are tags intended for use on aircraft. Aerospace industry adoption of RFID technology will be enhanced significantly by standardization of the RFID tags.
The requirements for RFID tags to be used in the aerospace industry are very different from non-aviation uses. The parts identified by the RFID tags are high value items, which are often used for ten years or more. Reading and writing across a moderate distance, and over the life-spans of these tagged-parts, is expected to fulfill the promise of data automation for accuracy and cost savings. Furthermore, the aerospace industry is subject to unique considerations regarding qualification, regulations, and safety, which are enforced by national authorities such as the FAA, EASA, FCC, etc. These requirements, coupled with the relatively low manufacturing volumes, will drive up the per-part cost of tags developed for the aerospace industry. This will generate the need for a unique set of RFID tags specifically designed for use on aircraft. Adherence to this standard will decrease the development cost of these low-volume, high-capability RFID tags.