MERLIN ENGINEERING TEAM
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Today, we announced the design and build of our Certification System Bench, a flight test simulator with both certifiable software and hardware components that allows Merlin to constantly test its advanced automation systems. Unlike traditional in-flight testing, the Certification System Bench can be utilized irrespective of weather, maintenance schedules, and pilot availability. Further, Merlin’s Certification System Bench features cameras that provide remote accessibility and testing abilities for Merlin’s distributed, global team, and also includes three screens that represent the pilot deck as well as accurate instrument panels and primary flight displays.
Learn more about our exciting new addition from the Merlin team who developed the Certification System Bench!
Why did Merlin build the Certification System Bench?
One of the biggest challenges for autonomy and aviation is that it’s a completely new way to fly airplanes. This Certification System Bench is a tool that, simply put, allows us to test what we’re building.
Alex Naiman, Chief Technology Officer, Merlin
In order to develop new technology, many things can be completed in a simulation such as testing and data collection, reducing the workload needed to test in air and on the aircraft. The Certification System Bench is safe and creates an easy, yet accurate environment to try new ideas, test, iterate, and test some more. And, it’s available 24/7.
Sherif Ali, Chief Engineer for the Certified Merlin Pilot Project, Merlin
Like software, we could develop the technology and take it straight to the aircraft, but it’s a lot safer to run it through the Certification System Bench first. The risk in going direct is that no matter how many requirements we write into the code, there will always be bugs once you actually plug the pieces together. With the Certification System Bench, we can find those bugs early and correct them before going to the aircraft, making flight testing even safer.
Cait Mortelli, Systems Engineer, Merlin
The Certification System Bench will directly support the efforts of at least three teams: the systems team, the controls team, and eventually the human factors team, playing a critical role in testing the Merlin Pilot before we go to the aircraft.
Cait Mortelli, Systems Engineer, Merlin
What makes Merlin’s Certification System Bench unique?
We are building a real bench with real hardware that is used on aircraft, which means we can use the Certification System Bench to verify activities and produce evidence to comply with regulatory requirements, whether it is the FAA or the CAA in New Zealand.
Sherif Ali, Chief Engineer for the Certified Merlin Pilot Project, Merlin
We have a test GUI that we developed in-house that sends data through the test interface unit, which is both hardware and software on the bench. And then that test interface unit runs cables out to the real system receivers that we’re testing.
Cait Mortelli, Systems Engineer, Merlin
The Certification System Bench brings together all of our hardware and software in both a development environment as well as a testing and integration environment. We verify that the requirements meet both performance goals and safety goals. That also includes edge case goals that we’re not yet willing to test on an aircraft or in flight but we want to make sure the system behaves as expected if those cases ever pop up. The Certification System Bench enables us to do everything we need and more in the lab, without putting anyone in danger.
Pat Shine, Electrical & Systems Chief Engineer, Merlin