Avionics Syllabus

The syllabus below is representative. The exact curriculum varies according to whether the programme is a standalone BTech, ECE specialisation, Aerospace specialisation or BSc.

First-year subjects

• Engineering Mathematics
• Engineering Physics
• Engineering Chemistry
• Basic Electrical Engineering
• Basic Electronics Engineering
• Engineering Mechanics
• Engineering Graphics
• Computer Programming
• Workshop Practice
• Communication Skills
• Environmental Studies
• Professional Ethics

The first year establishes foundations for circuit analysis, control, communication and aircraft systems.

Second-year subjects

• Electronic Devices and Circuits
• Analogue Electronics
• Digital Electronics
• Network Theory
• Signals and Systems
• Electrical Machines
• Electromagnetic Theory
• Microprocessors and Microcontrollers
• Data Structures
• Probability and Statistics
• Measurement and Instrumentation
• Control Systems
• Communication Engineering
• Aircraft Fundamentals
• Aerodynamics Fundamentals

Students start connecting electronics with aerospace applications.

Third-year subjects

• Digital Signal Processing
• Digital Communication
• RF and Microwave Engineering
• Radar Systems
• Navigation Systems
• Guidance and Control
• Aircraft Instrumentation
• Embedded Systems
• Computer Networks
• Avionics Data Buses
• Power Electronics
• Flight Control Systems
• Aerospace Sensors
• Satellite Communication
• Avionics Laboratory
• Communication Laboratory
• Control and Guidance Laboratory

Fourth-year subjects

• Integrated Avionics Systems
• Advanced Navigation
• Flight-Management Systems
• Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Systems
• Aircraft Electrical Systems
• Safety-Critical Systems
• Reliability Engineering
• Fault-Tolerant Computing
• Digital Flight Control
• Electronic Warfare Fundamentals
• Spacecraft Avionics
• Avionics System Design
• Verification and Validation
• Human–Machine Interfaces
• Electives
• Internship
• Major Project

Important Avionics subjects

Electronic devices and circuits

Students learn how semiconductor devices and circuits process, amplify, switch and condition electrical signals. This knowledge supports sensors, communication equipment, power supplies and control electronics.

Digital electronics

Digital electronics covers logic gates, combinational and sequential circuits, memory and digital-system design. Aircraft computers and control systems rely extensively on digital processing.

Microprocessors and microcontrollers

Students study processor architecture, memory, input and output, timers, communication interfaces, interrupts and embedded programming.

Avionics controllers often operate under real-time and safety requirements. Basic microcontroller projects provide a foundation, but professional aerospace development requires more rigorous engineering processes.

Signals and systems

Signals and Systems provides mathematical tools for analysing continuous and discrete signals. It supports communication, radar, navigation, control and sensor processing.

Digital signal processing

DSP covers sampling, filtering, transforms and signal analysis. Applications include radar processing, communication, sensor-data processing and navigation.

Communication systems

Aircraft communication systems exchange voice and data with air-traffic services, other aircraft, satellites and ground networks. Students may study analogue and digital communication, modulation, antennas, radio propagation and data links.

RF and microwave engineering

Radio-frequency and microwave technologies support radar, satellite communication and aircraft communication systems. Students learn transmission lines, wave propagation, microwave components and antennas.

Electromagnetic theory

Electromagnetics explains how electric and magnetic fields behave. It supports antenna design, propagation, radar and electromagnetic compatibility.

Radar systems

Radar transmits electromagnetic energy and processes reflections to detect objects or environmental conditions.

Avionics curricula may introduce:

• Radar range principles
• Doppler effect
• Radar equation
• Pulse radar
• Continuous-wave radar
• Antennas
• Signal processing
• Weather radar
• Surveillance applications

Advanced radar engineering can require postgraduate specialisation.

Navigation systems

Navigation helps determine an aircraft’s position, velocity, direction and route.

Students may learn about:

• Radio navigation
• Satellite navigation
• Inertial navigation
• Dead reckoning
• Air-data systems
• Navigation sensors
• Integrated navigation
• Error sources
• Position estimation

Guidance and control

Guidance determines a desired path, while control commands the system to follow it. Topics may include feedback, stability, control laws, state-space methods and flight-control applications.

Aircraft instrumentation

Aircraft instruments provide information about altitude, speed, attitude, heading, engine condition and other parameters.

Modern aircraft increasingly use electronic displays that combine information from multiple sensors and computers.

Flight-control systems

Flight controls manage aircraft motion. A course may cover conventional controls, automatic pilots, stability augmentation, fly-by-wire concepts and digital control.

Embedded systems

Embedded computers execute specific aircraft functions. Students may study:

• Embedded C
• Real-time systems
• Processor interfaces
• Memory
• Device drivers
• Communication
• Timing
• Debugging
• Reliability

Avionics data buses

Aircraft systems require reliable data exchange. Students may encounter concepts associated with aviation data buses and networked architectures.

The exact protocols taught depend on programme facilities and faculty expertise.

Satellite communication

Satellite communication supports long-range communication, navigation and space systems. Topics can include satellite links, antennas, propagation and link budgets.

Aircraft electrical systems

Avionics equipment requires reliable power. Students may study generation, distribution, conversion, protection, grounding, batteries and emergency supply.

Power electronics

Power electronics converts and controls electrical power. It supports power supplies, motor drives, actuators and increasingly electrified aircraft systems.

Sensors and transducers

Sensors measure pressure, temperature, acceleration, angular rate, position and other physical parameters.

Students should understand:

• Sensor principles
• Accuracy
• Calibration
• Noise
• Signal conditioning
• Environmental effects
• Failure modes
• Redundancy

Flight-management systems

A flight-management system integrates navigation, performance and route information to support efficient aircraft operation. Students may study its functional role rather than proprietary implementation.

Safety-critical systems

Safety-critical engineering uses disciplined requirements, architecture, verification, configuration and quality processes because failures can have severe consequences.

Students may be introduced to:

• Hazard identification
• Reliability
• Redundancy
• Fault tolerance
• Verification
• Validation
• Requirement traceability
• Configuration management
• Certification principles

Reliability Engineering

Reliability examines the probability that a component or system will perform as required over time. Aerospace systems may use redundancy, monitoring and fault isolation to improve dependable operation.

Electromagnetic compatibility

Electronic systems must function without producing or suffering unacceptable electromagnetic interference. EMC is important because aircraft contain many sensitive and high-power systems.

Software verification

Avionics software must be tested systematically. Students may learn unit testing, integration testing, requirement-based testing and configuration control.

Knowledge of a certification standard’s name does not itself establish professional certification competence. Industry roles require training, tools and process experience.

UAV avionics

Drone and UAV avionics can include:

• Flight controllers
• Sensors
• Navigation
• Communication
• Telemetry
• Power management
• Payload electronics
• Ground-control links
• Autonomous functions

Students should follow applicable drone and aviation regulations when conducting projects.

Spacecraft avionics

Spacecraft avionics may include command and data handling, telemetry, communication, navigation, power management, attitude control and fault management.

Space applications face radiation, thermal extremes, communication delays and limited repair opportunities.

Avionics laboratories

Relevant facilities may include:

• Analogue-electronics laboratory
• Digital-electronics laboratory
• Communication laboratory
• Microprocessor and microcontroller laboratory
• Embedded-systems laboratory
• Control-systems laboratory
• Digital signal-processing laboratory
• Microwave laboratory
• Radar laboratory
• Navigation laboratory
• Aircraft-instrumentation laboratory
• Avionics systems laboratory
• Antenna laboratory
• Power-electronics laboratory
• Simulation laboratory
• UAV laboratory

A programme brochure may list laboratories without explaining their condition or accessibility. Applicants should seek evidence of regular practical work.

Elective subjects

Possible electives include:

• Advanced Radar
• Satellite Navigation
• Digital Flight Control
• Autonomous Systems
• UAV Design
• Electronic Warfare
• Spacecraft Electronics
• Fault-Tolerant Systems
• Artificial Intelligence for Aerospace
• Computer Vision
• Cybersecurity
• Robotics
• Software-Defined Radio
• Advanced Embedded Systems
• FPGA Design
• VLSI
• Wireless Communication
• Remote Sensing
• Human Factors
• Systems Engineering

Avionics project ideas

Projects may include:

• Digital flight-instrument display
• GPS and inertial navigation integration
• UAV telemetry system
• Flight-data recorder prototype
• Aircraft health-monitoring model
• Altitude and airspeed measurement system
• Antenna simulation
• Radar signal-processing demonstration
• Collision-warning prototype
• Ground-station communication system
• Drone flight controller
• Fault-detection system
• Aircraft power-distribution monitor
• Embedded engine-monitoring system
• Automatic flight-control simulation
• Sensor-fusion model
• Satellite communication link analysis
• Weather-detection demonstration
• Runway-navigation aid
• Flight-parameter data logger
• Redundant sensor-management system
• Secure UAV communication
• Predictive-maintenance model
• Hardware-in-the-loop control test
• Cockpit warning and display system

Projects involving transmitters, drones or flight hardware must comply with safety and regulatory requirements.