Current Trends in Aerospace Standards

The aerospace industry is highly standardized, many regulating bodies coming together to create rigorous rules and regulations that keep operations safe and well-performing. Standards may cover everything from design processes to operations, and they can cover a number of interacting industries and markets. In this blog, we will discuss some of the major trends in aerospace standards moving into 2022, allowing you to have a better understanding of the shifting market.

The electrification of aircraft has continued throughout the decade with new actuators, sensors, payloads, and other equipment being implemented as the push for fully-electric aircraft and VTOLs continues. One major way in which aircraft designs are shifting is through the adoption of electrified propulsion systems that would replace pneumatic systems and hydraulic system equipment. As these electrified options come about, the SAE E-40 Electrified Propulsion Committee has focused on new standards for such propulsion equipment while putting emphasis on safety considerations. At the same time, the use of these systems also results in increased energy supplies and voltages, those of which have to be covered and regulated as well. For example, the SAE AE-7 and AE-8 Committees are both working to develop standards that can meet the performance and safety considerations of high voltage electrical systems and components. Beyond these examples, much work is also being done for areas such as batteries, chargers, and more.

Alongside electrification, there are also many standards being developed for autonomous system safety. Automation can be found in varying degrees in the aviation industry, serving anything from the autopilot systems of commercial aircraft to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). UAS equipment depends on various sensors and controls, and standards must be put forth for compliance with rules for aerospace system design and safety assurance. With the ARP4754, as an example, recommendations are provided for the safe development and design of aircraft and their systems, accounting for operating environments and the functionality of the aircraft itself. Meanwhile, the ARP4761 standard covers safety assessment guidelines that pertain to civil aircraft and their systems/equipment. Beyond these examples, various other governing bodies have put forth standards in recent years to tackle the continual expansion of autonomous systems.

Lastly, trends have also been seeing a major focus put on additive manufacturing and advanced materials. Additive manufacturing is important for aerospace objectives as it presents a method of creating lightweight designs that are complex. Despite this, there are issues surrounding integrity when conducting such processes; thus, standards seek to tackle various objectives. SAE EMS-AM has put much effort into developing standards for both materials and processes, and material research has been conducted for materials such as aluminum, superalloys, high-strength steel, and titanium. While still in progress, the regulating body has nearly 30 process specifications in development, all of which aim to create a path for part qualification for the objective of airworthy parts.

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