Links
Curated reference links for DO-254 FPGA certification work. The bookmarks page you send to new team members on day one.
Standards & Governing Documents
The standard itself. Available for purchase from RTCA. Required reading — not optional, not summarizable.
rtca.org
European equivalent to DO-254. Technically identical content. Required for EASA certification paths.
eurocae.net
The software counterpart. Relevant when your FPGA contains embedded processors or when software/hardware partitioning decisions affect your PHAC.
rtca.org
System-level development process. This is where your DAL assignment originates. Understanding 4754A helps you understand why your DAL is what it is.
sae.org
Safety assessment methodology. FTA, FMEA, FMES. The analysis that feeds into your DAL assignment and drives your PHAC safety objectives.
sae.org
FAA Guidance
FAA Advisory Circular recognizing DO-254 as an acceptable means of compliance. This is the document that connects the standard to the regulatory framework.
faa.gov
FAA order defining the approval process for electronic hardware including FPGAs. Defines the role of the DER and the SOI review process.
faa.gov
Internal FAA job aid for DERs reviewing DO-254 compliance. Not officially public guidance, but widely circulated and useful for understanding what DERs look for.
faa.gov
CAST Position Papers
Position paper on multi-core interference. Increasingly being applied to FPGA designs with multiple independent clock domains and shared resources.
faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert
CAST position paper specifically addressing complex electronic hardware development. Provides interpretive guidance on DO-254 objectives.
faa.gov/aircraft/air_cert
Vendor DO-254 Resources
Tool qualification data and compliance documentation for Vivado. Available for UltraScale+, Versal, and older device families. Contact AMD for access.
amd.com
DO-254 compliance documentation for Quartus Prime. Recently released for Agilex 5 and 7 families. Covers synthesis, fitter, and timing analyzer.
altera.com
DO-254 support for PolarFire and SmartFusion2 families. Flash-based architecture provides configuration security advantages relevant to PHAC safety arguments.
microchip.com
Purpose-built DO-254 tools including requirements tracing, structural coverage analysis, and certification artifact generation. One of the few vendors focused specifically on this problem.
aldec.com
Related Resources
GTH/GTY transceiver design, JESD204C, protocol compliance. Relevant when your DO-254 design includes high-speed serial interfaces.
serdes.com
ISO 26262 for FPGA. Different standard, overlapping methodology. Useful comparison for engineers working across automotive and avionics programs.
iso26262.com
JESD204B/C converter interfaces, multi-device synchronization, deterministic latency. Common in avionics RF and radar FPGA designs.
jesd204.com