Certified Machine Learning-Based Avionics: Unlocking Safer Aviation Autonomy

Over the past few decades, aircraft automation has progressively increased. Advances in digital computing during the 1980s eliminated the need for onboard flight engineers. Avionics systems, exemplified by FADEC for engine control and Fly-By-Wire, handle lower-level functions, reducing human error. This shift allows pilots to focus on higher-level tasks like navigation and decision-making, enhancing overall safety.

Full automation and autonomous flight operations are a logical continuation of this trend. Thanks to aerospace pioneers, most functions for full autonomy are achievable with legacy technologies. Machine learning (ML), especially neural networks (NNs), will enable what Daedalean terms Situational Intelligence: the ability to understand and make sense of the current environment and situation but also anticipate and react to a future situation, including a future problem. By automating tasks traditionally limited to human pilots - like detecting airborne traffic and identifying safe landing locations - ML can raise safety levels, lower costs, and increase fleet capacity.