Books

Safety-Critical FPGA Design – From Engineering Rigor to DO-254 Certification is a comprehensive reference for hardware engineers, system architects, quality managers, and certification stakeholders involved in FPGA development for safety-critical aerospace systems.
Bridging academic foundations, industrial best practices, and real-world certification experience, this book provides a structured and end-to-end view of a certifiable FPGA development lifecycle from technical fundamentals to certification data packaging for EASA and FAA authorities. Rather than merely quoting standards, it focuses on how to apply them in practice, how to interpret regulatory guidance, and how to avoid common pitfalls encountered during audits.
The book thoroughly addresses key standards and guidance including DO-254, AMC 20-152A, ARP4754A, ARP4761, and DO-160, along with essential topics such as planning, requirements traceability, VHDL coding for certification, timing constraints, independent verification, formal methods, hardware testing, and configuration management. Special emphasis is placed on the unique challenges of programmable logic: toolchain qualification, build reproducibility, third-party IP management, coverage strategies, and audit-ready evidence aligned with DAL objectives.
Designed as a practical engineering guide, the book includes concrete examples, templates, checklists, compliance matrices, and proven methodologies derived from certified avionics programs. It supports both engineers new to certification and experienced professionals seeking to strengthen their processes or confidently prepare for DER, EASA, or FAA reviews.