Applicability of Blockchain Technology in Avionics Systems

Abstract

Blockchain technology, within its fast widespread and superiority demonstrated by recent studies, can be also used as an informatic tool for solving various aviation problems. Aviation electronics (avionics) systems stand out as the application area of informatics methods in solving aviation problems or providing different capabilities to aircrafts. Avionics systems are electronic systems used in air and space vehicles for many purposes such as surveillance, navigation and communication. In this study, the applicability of blockchain technology as a new approach in the development of avionics systems is discussed, and in this regard, a method inspired by the previously implemented applications in electronic flight systems is proposed to help evaluate the applicability of this technology in new avionics system designs. The potential of blockchain for solving the problems especially in basic services, communication, navigation and flight management systems; the problem structures for which application of this technology would be a reliable solution; and the superiority and inferiority of its use in avionic systems are explained. A guiding paper is proposed for aviation engineers/experts to make a decision on applying blockchain into avionics systems.