Recommendations for the Usage of Design Models in Aviation Software

The usage of Model-based Development is increasing in the aviation industry. Currently, RTCA DO-178C and its supplementary document RTCA DO-331 provide specific guidance for the usage of models during aviation software development. This work presents recommendations for the usage of Design Models in aviation software, ensuring compliance with the RTCA DO-178C and RTCA DO-331. The five recommendations guide how to use models to satisfy specific objectives associated with Software Architecture and Software Low-level Requirements, using Model-driven Design. Our work also assesses the recommendations and applies a case study in a specific scenario where Design Models are developed from textual Software High-level Requirements. We also discuss and include the need for qualification of Autocode Generator Tools and provide traceability to appropriate standards.