For almost twenty-five years, the major aircraft players and their suppliers have been investigating the potential for improving aircrafts by the introduction of fiber optic technologies. And yet, in the beginning, the adoption of fiber optics was far from a done deal because of the difficulty of working with them and interconnecting them with new advanced embedded systems.

The systems inside aircrafts and helicopters require massive real-time data transfers. That means the systems require high bandwidth, interference-free physical medium. With data transmission rates currently up to 10 gigabits/second, and thanks to their immunity to electromagnetic interference [EMI], optical fibers are the perfect match to accommodate today’s bandwidth-intensive applications.

The challenge is to develop, demonstrate and integrate a lightweight but robust and reliable optical cable plant, together with fiber optic sensors and connectors, for both commercial and military aircraft and helicopter applications.

To meet the challenge, SEDI-ATI has designed specific fiber optic assemblies with avionics grade fiber optic cables and connectors. We mainly integrate Avioptics^® Fiber Optic Cables from our partner OFS Optics. These cables are configured to withstand exposure to corrosive and other chemicals, including jet fuel, oil, solvents, and hydrolytic liquids. Besides, we propose specific connector terminations such as OFS SMA 905 Crimp & Cleave connectors for field connectorization and repair (no epoxy, no curing, no polishing steps).