TheArtOfService
Back to Frameworks

DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

Self-Assess
International (RTCA, United States; EUROCAE, Europe); recognised by FAA AC 20-152A (7 October 2022) and the EASA equivalent
vRTCA/DO-254, 19 April 2000 (EUROCAE ED-80, April 2000); current at 2026-10-01; DO-254A / ED-80A in preparation by RTCA SC-243 / EUROCAE WG-128 (terms of reference rev. 2, 26 June 2025: FRAC September 2027, completion December 2027)
13 domains
88 controls

RTCA DO-254 / EUROCAE ED-80 design assurance guidance for airborne electronic hardware, built in full from the held complete text.

Verified

DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware is a compliance framework from International (RTCA, United States; EUROCAE, Europe); recognised by FAA AC 20-152A (7 October 2022) and the EASA equivalent with 13 domains and 88 controls that map to 3 other frameworks. The largest domains are Section 10: Hardware design life cycle data – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware (21 controls), Section 11: Additional considerations – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware (12 controls), Section 5: Hardware design processes – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware (12 controls). Every control below carries what it requires and what an assessor expects to see.

Maintained by Gerard Blokdyk

Framework summaries on this platform are AI-assisted interpretations for educational and compliance planning purposes. They do not reproduce or replace the official standards. Refer to the authoritative source for the definitive text. Framework names and trademarks belong to their respective organisations.

Framework Domains (13)

Appendix A: Life cycle data by design assurance level – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

1 controls
Controls in the Appendix A: Life cycle data by design assurance level – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 1 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::AAppendix A Modulation of life cycle data by design assurance level, and verification independence

Appendix B: Design assurance for Level A and B functions – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

9 controls
Controls in the Appendix B: Design assurance for Level A and B functions – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 9 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-2.1Appendix B 2.1 Functional failure path analysis method
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-2.2Appendix B 2.2 Functional failure path analysis data
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-3.1.1Appendix B 3.1.1 Architectural mitigation method
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-3.1.2Appendix B 3.1.2 Architectural mitigation resolution
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-3.1.3Appendix B 3.1.3 Architectural mitigation data
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-3.2Appendix B 3.2 Product service experience (Level A and B)
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-3.3.1Appendix B 3.3.1 Elemental analysis
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-3.3.2Appendix B 3.3.2 Safety-specific analysis
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::B-3.3.3Appendix B 3.3.3 Formal methods

Section 10: Hardware design life cycle data – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

21 controls
Controls in the Section 10: Hardware design life cycle data – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 21 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::1010 Hardware design life cycle data: characteristics
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.1.110.1.1 Plan for Hardware Aspects of Certification (PHAC)
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.1.210.1.2 Hardware design plan
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.1.310.1.3 Hardware validation plan
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.1.410.1.4 Hardware verification plan
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.1.510.1.5 Hardware configuration management plan
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.1.610.1.6 Hardware process assurance plan
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.210.2 Hardware design standards and guidance
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.3.110.3.1 Hardware requirements
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.3.2.110.3.2.1 Conceptual design data
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.3.2.210.3.2.2 Detailed design data
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.4.110.4.1 Traceability data
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.4.210.4.2 Review and analysis procedures
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.4.310.4.3 Review and analysis results
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.4.410.4.4 Test procedures
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.4.510.4.5 Test results
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.510.5 Hardware acceptance test criteria
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.610.6 Problem reports
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.710.7 Hardware configuration management records
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.810.8 Hardware process assurance records
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::10.910.9 Hardware Accomplishment Summary

Section 11: Additional considerations – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

12 controls
Controls in the Section 11: Additional considerations – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 12 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.1.111.1.1 Modifications to previously developed hardware
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.1.211.1.2 Change of aircraft installation
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.1.311.1.3 Change of application or design environment
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.1.411.1.4 Upgrading a design baseline
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.1.511.1.5 Additional configuration management considerations
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.2.111.2.1 Electronic component management for COTS components
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.2.211.2.2 COTS component procurement
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.3.111.3.1 Product service experience data acceptability criteria
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.3.211.3.2 Assessment of product service experience data
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.3.311.3.3 Product service experience assessment data
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.4.111.4.1 Tool assessment and qualification process
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::11.4.211.4.2 Tool assessment and qualification data

Section 1: Complexity and alternative methods – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

2 controls
Controls in the Section 1: Complexity and alternative methods – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 2 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::1.61.6 Complexity considerations
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::1.71.7 Alternative methods or processes

Section 2: System aspects of hardware design assurance – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

8 controls
Controls in the Section 2: System aspects of hardware design assurance – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 8 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.1.12.1.1 Information flow from the system process to the hardware design life cycle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.1.22.1.2 Information flow from the hardware design life cycle to the system process
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.1.32.1.3 Information flow between the hardware and software life cycles
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.22.2 System safety assessment processes
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.3.12.3.1 Hardware safety assessment considerations
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.3.22.3.2 Quantitative assessment of random hardware faults
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.3.32.3.3 Qualitative assessment of hardware design errors and upsets
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::2.3.42.3.4 Design assurance considerations for hardware failure condition classification

Section 3: Hardware design life cycle – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

1 controls
Controls in the Section 3: Hardware design life cycle – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 1 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::3.23.2 Transition criteria

Section 4: Planning process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

2 controls
Controls in the Section 4: Planning process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 2 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::4.14.1 Planning process objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::4.24.2 Planning process activities

Section 5: Hardware design processes – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

12 controls
Controls in the Section 5: Hardware design processes – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 12 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::55 Hardware design processes: design representation
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.1.15.1.1 Requirements capture objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.1.25.1.2 Requirements capture activities
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.2.15.2.1 Conceptual design objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.2.25.2.2 Conceptual design activities
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.3.15.3.1 Detailed design objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.3.25.3.2 Detailed design process activities
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.4.15.4.1 Implementation objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.4.25.4.2 Implementation activities
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.5.15.5.1 Production transition objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.5.25.5.2 Production transition activities
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::5.65.6 Acceptance test

Section 6: Validation and verification process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

9 controls
Controls in the Section 6: Validation and verification process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 9 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.1.16.1.1 Validation process objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.1.26.1.2 Validation process activities
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.2.16.2.1 Verification process objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.2.26.2.2 Verification process activities
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.3.16.3.1 Test
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.3.26.3.2 Analysis
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.3.36.3.3 Reviews
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.3.3.16.3.3.1 Requirements review
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::6.3.3.26.3.3.2 Design review

Section 7: Configuration management process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

7 controls
Controls in the Section 7: Configuration management process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 7 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::7.17.1 Configuration management objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::7.2.17.2.1 Configuration identification
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::7.2.27.2.2 Baseline establishment
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::7.2.37.2.3 Problem reporting, tracking and corrective action
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::7.2.47.2.4 Change control
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::7.2.57.2.5 Release, archive and retrieve
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::7.37.3 Data control categories

Section 8: Process assurance – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

2 controls
Controls in the Section 8: Process assurance – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 2 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::8.18.1 Process assurance objectives
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::8.28.2 Process assurance activities

Section 9: Certification liaison process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

2 controls
Controls in the Section 9: Certification liaison process – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware domain of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware — 2 controls
CodeTitle
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::9.19.1 Means of compliance and planning
do-254-ed-80-design-assurance-guidance-for-airborne-electronic-hardware::9.29.2 Compliance substantiation

Your Compliance Coverage

If you comply with DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware, you already cover:

SAE ARP4754B / ED-79B - Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems

42%

37 controls mapped

Compare →

DO-178C / ED-12C - Software Considerations in Airborne Systems

33%

29 controls mapped

Compare →

FAA AC 20-152A - Development Assurance for Airborne Electronic Hardware

22%

19 controls mapped

Compare →
See all 3 mapped frameworks ↓

Maps to 3 other frameworks

88 total controls
SAE ARP4754B / ED-79B - Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems
37 source controls mapped|46 target controls covered
42%
DO-178C / ED-12C - Software Considerations in Airborne Systems
29 source controls mapped|25 target controls covered
33%
FAA AC 20-152A - Development Assurance for Airborne Electronic Hardware
19 source controls mapped|27 target controls covered
22%
Compare DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware with SAE ARP4754B / ED-79B - Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems

Coverage is not the same as your position

This page shows what DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware overlaps with in general. Where your organisation actually stands, against the standard you are going for and the certifications you already hold, is a different question. Same graph and the same recorded refutations, scoped to you rather than to a pair.

The Compliance Position Diagnostic, $5,000 fixed, ten business days

What is DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware and who does it apply to?

DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware is a compliance framework from International (RTCA, United States; EUROCAE, Europe); recognised by FAA AC 20-152A (7 October 2022) and the EASA equivalent with 13 domains and 88 controls. RTCA DO-254 / EUROCAE ED-80 design assurance guidance for airborne electronic hardware, built in full from the held complete text. It is used by organisations to establish and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulatory requirements.

What does DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware actually require?

DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware has 88 controls organised across 13 domains. The largest domains are Section 10: Hardware design life cycle data – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware (21 controls), Section 11: Additional considerations – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware (12 controls), Section 5: Hardware design processes – DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware (12 controls). Each control defines specific requirements that organisations must implement to achieve compliance.

If I already comply with another framework, how much of DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware do I already cover?

DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware maps to 3 other compliance frameworks. The top mapping partners are SAE ARP4754B / ED-79B - Guidelines for Development of Civil Aircraft and Systems (42% coverage), DO-178C / ED-12C - Software Considerations in Airborne Systems (33% coverage), FAA AC 20-152A - Development Assurance for Airborne Electronic Hardware (22% coverage). Use our comparison tool to explore control-level mappings between frameworks.

How do I implement DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware?

Start your DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware compliance journey by running a self-assessment on our platform to identify your current compliance posture. Our AI advisory can answer specific questions about DO-254 / ED-80 - Design Assurance Guidance for Airborne Electronic Hardware requirements, and cross-framework mapping helps you leverage existing controls from other frameworks you may already comply with. Create a free account to access all 88 controls and track your progress.

Start Your Compliance Journey

Create a free account to run self-assessments, get AI advisory, and track your compliance progress across 868 frameworks.

Get Started Free →

Free forever — no credit card required