Diploma in Flight Test Instrumentation and Telemetry
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in flight test instrumentation and telemetry. 8 modules covering FTI architecture, sensors, signal conditioning and acquisition, IRIG 106 data formats, real-time telemetry, control room monitoring, calibration and installation, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Flight Test Instrumentation and Telemetry — studying from Australia
Australia's aerospace sector spans defence and commercial aviation, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and a growing space industry. Key clusters sit around Adelaide's Edinburgh Parks and the Melbourne and Sydney defence precincts, with major employers including Airbus Australia Pacific, BAE Systems Australia, Boeing Defence Australia and Lockheed Martin Australia. Recreational and commercial drone operations are increasingly regulated, and advanced air mobility is emerging as a research and policy priority. Engineers working in this area typically support airworthiness, systems integration, structures and avionics across both crewed and uncrewed platforms.
Fees for Australia: A$2,380 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Australia
Typical roles
Questions from Australia
Does a SEIUM qualification help me get recognised by a professional body in Australia?
SEIUM qualifications are private qualifications, not official state degrees, and they are not accredited by any Australian body. Engineers Australia accredits university engineering degrees, and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates drone and aviation operations. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by the employer or the relevant body, so check with them before enrolling.
Will this course help me find work in Australian aerospace, drones or space?
Australia has aerospace and defence employers, drone operators and space-sector companies, and skills in these areas are valued. Whether a SEIUM qualification counts for a given role depends on the employer, who will usually weigh your experience and portfolio alongside any private credential. Ask prospective employers how they view it.
Can I study this part-time while working, and does the time zone suit Australia?
The programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Australia, with no student visa needed for home study. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly load realistically. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Specify the measurement requirements and parameter list for a test campaign.
Select suitable sensors by range, bandwidth and environment.
Design synchronised signal conditioning and acquisition chains.
Configure PCM and Chapter 10 formats in accordance with IRIG 106.
Calculate the link budget of a telemetry system.
Organise the control room and real-time monitoring.
Plan the calibration, installation and approval of the FTI.
Who it's for
- Flight test instrumentation engineers
- Telemetry engineers
- Data acquisition engineers
- FTI installation technicians
- Control room engineers
- Flight test engineers
- Engineering or science graduates looking to join aircraft manufacturers
What you'll work with
- IRIG 106 (Telemetry Standards)
- IRIG 200 (time codes)
- RTCA DO-160G (environmental conditions and test procedures for airborne equipment)
- ARINC 429 (avionics data bus)
- MIL-STD-1553B (military data bus)
- ISO/IEC 17025 (competence of testing and calibration laboratories)
- IRIG 118 (Test Methods for Telemetry Systems)
- CS-25 (EASA) (large aeroplanes)
- Curtiss-Wright Acra KAM-500
- IADS
- DEWESoft X
- LabVIEW
- MATLAB
8 modules
1.1Measurement requirements of the campaign1.2FTI architecture: sensors, acquisition and recording1.3Parameter list and prioritisation1.4Development versus certification instrumentation1.5Weight, space and power constraints1.6Airworthiness of the FTI installation1.7Organisation of the instrumentation team1.8Approval of test modifications1.9Life cycle of an FTI installation1.10Case study: parameter list for a performance test
2.1Strain gauges and Wheatstone bridges2.2Piezoelectric and IEPE accelerometers2.3Pressure transducers and static ports2.4Thermocouples and RTDs2.5Control surface position2.6Air data probes and nose boom2.7Inertial units and differential GNSS2.8Microphones and vibration sensors2.9Selection by bandwidth and range2.10Lab: calibrating a strain gauge bridge
3.1Excitation and signal conditioning3.2Anti-aliasing filtering3.3Analogue-to-digital conversion and resolution3.4Time synchronisation with IRIG-B and PTP3.5Distributed acquisition units3.6ARINC 429 and MIL-STD-1553 bus capture3.7Ethernet and AFDX capture3.8Synchronised onboard video3.9Measurement error budget3.10Practical exercise: sampling rate and filters for a measurement chain
4.1PCM format according to IRIG 1064.2Chapter 10 for recorders4.3iNET and TmNS packetisation4.4Solid-state recorders4.5Metadata and TMATS description4.6Format configuration management4.7Data integrity and verification4.8Protection of test information4.9Long-term archiving4.10Workshop: TMATS configuration of a PCM format
5.1L, S and C telemetry bands5.2PCM/FM and SOQPSK modulation5.3Link budget and antennas5.4Ground antenna tracking5.5Diversity and combiners5.6Telemetry encryption5.7Interference and spectrum management5.8Satellite and IP links5.9Latency and safety monitoring5.10Lab: link budget for a test campaign
6.1Ground telemetry station6.2Real-time displays and limits6.3Flutter and loads monitoring6.4Test termination procedures6.5Roles of the control room engineer6.6Communication with the flight crew6.7Visualisation and quick-look analysis6.8Session recording and traceability6.9End-to-end integration testing6.10Case study: displays for flutter envelope expansion
7.1Laboratory and on-aircraft calibration7.2Metrological traceability7.3Loads calibration with strain gauges7.4Electromagnetic compatibility of the FTI7.5Wiring, connectors and protection7.6Modification design and approval7.7Functional ground verification7.8Maintenance during the campaign7.9Sensor failure management7.10Practical exercise: wing loads calibration plan
8.1Test objectives and parameter list8.2Sensor selection8.3Acquisition architecture8.4Data format and recording8.5Telemetry link8.6Control room design8.7Calibration and installation plan8.8System error budget8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so you can combine the programme with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Curtiss-Wright Acra KAM-500, IADS, DEWESoft X, LabVIEW and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: designing the instrumentation for a flight test campaign, configuring a telemetry link and its ground station, and calibrating structural load sensors. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: IRIG 106, IRIG 200, RTCA DO-160G, ARINC 429, MIL-STD-1553B, ISO/IEC 17025, IRIG 118, CS-25 (EASA).
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. A university degree is not required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Curtiss-Wright Acra KAM-500, IADS, DEWESoft X, LabVIEW and MATLAB, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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