Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N192-052

Description

To address the Navy’s need for smart, configurable, aircraft electrical monitoring, management, and protection, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Advanced Avionics Electrical Load Manager (AVALON). It is based on a new combination of COTS SoC FPGAs, power monitoring and control electronics, and surge protection hardware. Specifically, the innovation is a first of its kind central power controller, hosting mission- specific hardware management profiles with crew override capability, which will enable AVALON to automatically adapt to changing power conditions aboard an aircraft while maximizing power loading to mission critical components. AVALON provides the capability to operate mission- specific avionics while shedding non-mission essential avionics in reduced power availability. AVALON completely meets the PMA275 requirements for maintaining 100% power loading of aircraft loads and providing protection to power distribution wiring. In Phase I, POC will demonstrate the feasibility of AVALON by demonstrating the capability to monitor and shed loads according to a mission profile while maintaining maximum power loading, reaching TRL-3. In Phase II, POC plans to develop a full-scale prototype, reaching TRL-6, capable of handling the power architecture on the MV-22C.