Aircraft Embedded Software Development Course
Online course of 300 hours in aircraft embedded software development. 6 modules covering avionics architecture, real-time operating systems with ARINC 653 partitioning, coding standards, model-based development, on-target integration and testing and a final project, with an assigned technical tutor.
Aircraft Embedded Software Development Course — studying from Malta
Malta's aerospace activity is concentrated around Malta International Airport at Luqa, where aircraft maintenance, cabin interiors and aviation services form a significant part of the local economy. The island's aviation sector is supported by a long-established regulatory framework and a growing interest in drone operations and advanced air mobility. Engineers here commonly find work with aircraft maintenance organisations, aviation services providers and companies engaged in unmanned systems testing. Expertise in airworthiness, systems integration and regulatory compliance is particularly valued by employers operating within this niche but internationally connected market.
Fees for Malta: €797 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which professional bodies in Malta recognise engineers working in aerospace, UAM, drones and space, and how does that affect my title?
Malta's Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' under the Engineering Profession Act. Aviation safety is overseen by the Malta Competition and Consumers Affairs Authority's aviation counterpart, Transport Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate, which licenses operators and certain technical staff. A private SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition depends on the employer or the relevant body.
Which employers in Malta might hire someone with an aerospace or drone engineering background?
Malta has an aviation sector centred on Malta International Airport, aircraft maintenance and MRO activity, and a growing drone and space-related presence at the University of Malta and in private firms. Employers vary in their hiring criteria. A private qualification can support a application, but employers will weigh it against experience and any formal credentials they require.
Can I realistically study this 1,900-hour programme while working full time in Malta, and do I need a visa?
Programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in Malta or elsewhere without a student visa. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor. Workload should be planned around your job; 1,900 hours is substantial, so most working professionals spread it over a long period. Ask about employer sponsorship and instalment fee options before enrolling.
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
Describe federated and integrated modular avionics architectures.
Apply real-time operating systems with ARINC 653 partitioning.
Develop code compliant with the MISRA C and SPARK standards.
Use model-based development with automatic code generation.
Analyse worst-case execution times.
Integrate software on the target hardware.
Document development in accordance with DO-178C.
Who it's for
- Aeronautical embedded software developers looking to deepen their expertise in airborne software.
- Real-time engineers moving into certified avionics systems.
- Model-based software engineers working with Simulink or SCADE.
- Avionics integrators who need a solid grasp of the software side.
- Development tools engineers supporting avionics programmes.
- Avionics software architects.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter avionics.
What you'll work with
- RTCA DO-178C / EUROCAE ED-12C (software considerations in airborne systems certification)
- ARINC 653 (partitioned avionics application interface)
- RTCA DO-297 (integrated modular avionics)
- MISRA C:2012 (C coding guidelines for critical systems)
- RTCA DO-331 (model-based development supplement)
- ARINC 429 (avionics data bus)
- CAST-32A / AMC 20-193 (multicore processors in avionics)
- ARINC 664 Part 7 (AFDX avionics Ethernet)
- Ansys SCADE Suite
- MATLAB Simulink
- Wind River VxWorks 653
- LDRA Testbed
- AbsInt aiT
6 modules
1.1Federated versus integrated modular avionics (IMA)1.2Mission and flight control computers1.3PowerPC, ARM and multicore processors1.4ARINC 429, MIL-STD-1553 and AFDX buses1.5Interference in multicore processors1.6Real-time requirements1.7Memory constraints and determinism1.8Software and hardware in the DO-178C context1.9Examples: FADEC, FMS and cockpit displays1.10Case study: software architecture of a FADEC
2.1Fixed-priority scheduling2.2Response-time analysis2.3Spatial and temporal partitioning2.4The ARINC 653 standard and APEX2.5Certifiable RTOS: VxWorks 653, PikeOS and INTEGRITY-1782.6Hypervisors and separation2.7Interrupt handling2.8Worst-case execution time (WCET) analysis2.9System start-up and health monitoring2.10Lab: configuring ARINC 653 partitions
3.1C in avionics and MISRA C3.2Ada and SPARK3.3Restricted C++3.4Defensive programming3.5Static memory management3.6Fixed-point and floating-point arithmetic3.7Qualified compilers3.8Static code analysis3.9Complexity metrics3.10Practical exercise: correcting a module to MISRA C:2012
4.1Modelling with Simulink and SCADE4.2Automatic code generation4.3The DO-331 supplement4.4Model verification4.5Model-in-the-loop simulation4.6Model-to-code equivalence4.7Model configuration management4.8Qualification of code generators4.9Integration of generated and hand-written code4.10Workshop: controller modelled in SCADE with code generation
5.1Cross-development environments5.2Debugging on target hardware5.3Software-hardware integration testing5.4Avionics test benches5.5Timing measurement on target5.6Robustness testing against bus failures5.7Software loading management (ARINC 615A)5.8Software integrity protection5.9Cybersecurity of embedded software5.10Case study: integrating an application into an IMA module
6.1Function requirements6.2Software architecture design6.3RTOS and partition selection6.4Standard-compliant implementation6.5Static analysis6.6Unit and integration testing6.7Timing analysis6.8Life-cycle documentation6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training 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 it with your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is Ansys SCADE Suite, MATLAB Simulink, Wind River VxWorks 653, LDRA Testbed and AbsInt aiT, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied on real procedures for developing ARINC 653 partitions, static code analysis and measuring execution times on target. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: RTCA DO-178C / EUROCAE ED-12C, ARINC 653, RTCA DO-297 (IMA), MISRA C:2012, RTCA DO-331, ARINC 429, CAST-32A / AMC 20-193, ARINC 664 Part 7.
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
- No prior qualification is 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 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with Ansys SCADE Suite, MATLAB Simulink, Wind River VxWorks 653, LDRA Testbed and AbsInt aiT, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, 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.
No prior qualification is required: you only need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme 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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