Aerospace

Collins Aerospace selects AdaCore’s QGen to streamline model based development

Posted 20 July 2021

Software development and verification tools specialist, AdaCore, has announced that Collins Aerospace has selected AdaCore’s QGen code generator for Simulink/Stateflow models and the new TQL-1 Enterprise Qualification Package, to advance the development of their FAA-certifiable Perigon computer, which is designed to support the future flight control and vehicle management needs of commercial and military rotary/fixed wing platforms.

Above: JC Bernedo, AdaCore QGen team lead.
Courtesy AdaCore

By using the TQL-1 release of QGen, PerigonTM software developers are able to save thousands of hours of testing, verification, and certification efforts, while providing additional safety guarantees to their customers. With the adoption of the QGen Enterprise Qualification Package, Collins is now able to streamline its model-based engineering practices.

QGen is the first qualifiable code generator for a safe subset of the Simulink/Stateflow modeling languages. QGen automatically generates C or Ada source code directly from the model while precisely preserving its functionality, eliminating the need for manual verification of the resulting source code. For systems requiring the highest assurance, such as commercial aerospace, medical device, and autonomous driving applications, the QGen code generator is being qualified by AdaCore and its partner Verocel at DO-178C Tool Qualification Level 1 (TQL-1), which is the highest level of qualification recognised by the FAA. QGen with TQL-1 allows developers to use the generated code without any manual review, streamlining the critical-system development and verification process. In addition, QGen includes an interactive model-level debugger, displaying the model together with the generated source code to provide a uniquely productive bridge between control engineering and software engineering.

QGen is now available with an Enterprise Qualification Package. This package comes with flexible licensing so that projects of any size, company-wide, can take advantage of the use of a TQL-1 qualified autocode generator. The package is based on a unique subscription approach, which provides an enhanced qualification kit every year. The same warranties are provided to all projects, including expert support for certification audits. Large organisations that perform many of their development and verification activities through model simulation can now dramatically reduce verification activities on the generated code, reducing costs while streamlining the overall certification process.

“AdaCore is excited to partner with Collins Aerospace to bring to market the first TQL-1 code generator for Simulink,” said JC Bernedo, AdaCore QGen team lead. “AdaCore has worked closely with Collins throughout the development of QGen to ensure it meets the development needs of their most critical aerospace software.”