Rabbit Semiconductor helps Centurion Consulting Navigate the Friendly Skies

General aviation aircraft such as single-engine, business jets, and turboprop aircraft in some form have an autopilot system. Larger commercial aircraft too have autopilots, but are much more advanced and are able to steer the plane if need be by using GPS navigation or other navigational methods. In general aviation aircraft, autopilots are considered “dumb” since they only keep the plane on the steady path and nothing more. Although these GPS systems and autopilot features come standard on the majority of General Aviation Aircraft, there is currently no way for these devices to communicate with each other without the expensive systems found on commercial jets. Even though pilots now have excellent navigational awareness via GPS, pilots can greatly benefit from a GPS based autopilot system. With the help of Rabbit Semiconductor, Centurion is able to develop a cost effective solution to enable autopilots to have the advanced benefits of GPS navigation.

Dave Lunger of Centurion Consulting realized the steep costs associated with upgrading autopilot systems. “It can cost $10,000 to $25,000 and take many weeks to upgrade a perfectly good working autopilot,” mentions Lunger. The Steering Assist Module also known as SAM allows customers to seamlessly integrate a GPS navigational system and an autopilot together so autopilots can now roll steer aircraft based on GPS waypoints. SAM has three major roles, the first role is to connect a GPS system to an aircraft’s autopilot, second verbally alert altitude status, and third verbally announce up to the minute information such as bearing, distance, and way points. Not only does the system help to ease the load on pilots, but also improves situational awareness.

Inside SAM resides 2 RCM3100 RabbitCores® processing a variety of functions. One RCM3100 RabbitCore is dedicated in steering the autopilot, while the other RCM3100 handles the pilot input switches, voicing messages, and display functionality. The functions demanded from the SAM system may at times require heavy processing power, leading Centurion to use two core modules. SAM couples two independent systems as well as other inputs such as external sensors, to allow the autopilot to precisely guide the aircraft through GPS approaches and waypoints. As the aircraft approaches GPS waypoints, one of SAM’s RCM3100s processes the GPS outputs and sends useable instructions to the autopilot, which will adjust the course of the aircraft with ground speed and wind currents taken into account. The other RCM3100 handles pilot input, voice messaging, and information display.

During the development of SAM, Dave was looking for a low-cost reliable solution. He had considered other options, “Briefly we considered using a DSP for perhaps the roll steering computational needs. However, the Rabbit math abilities were quite sufficient for the algorithms needed to control autopilots”. Dave found Rabbit to be the most appropriate solution, “It was clear though from an early point in the design that a pair of Rabbits was the way to go.” Centurion already had been familiar with Rabbit products, since they have used products in several aviation related products. Dave was looking for a solution that has a good compliment of serial ports, and can manage functions such as: voice codec, A/D and D/A, interface to an ARINC 429 avionics data bus and other required functions. He found the right features in the RCM3100. “Having the pair of Rabbits in our product gives us a dozen serial ports as well as many dozen I/O pins. This yields a product able to service so many peripherals, while even having room for future expansion and products with the same hardware.” Dave mentioned that SAM is intended for two groups: “One, the installers of the product, and two the pilots.”

Centurion consulting has found Rabbit again to be the best solution for their product. Low-cost, easy implementation, and highly reliable these are some of the key feature that has made SAM a success. Not only has Centurion Consulting developed a successful product, but is able to pass cost savings to customers and help general aviation pilots breath new life into their autopilot systems.

For more information on Centurion Consulting, visit: www.centurionci.com

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