What is BS EN 4818 - Passive HF RFID tags for aircraft use about?
BS EN 4818 is a European Standard that discusses passive HF RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags for use in aircraft. The main objective of BS EN 4818 is to establish best-industry requirements for passive HF RFID tags to ensure that they are fit for purpose.
BS EN 4818 requirements will concern RFID tags that:
- Are “passive”
- Are approved for attachment to aircraft (“airborne use”), (regulations limit operation to use only while on the ground)
- Operate in the frequency 13,56 MHz (HF), and do not produce spurious emissions that interfere with critical or essential on-board electrical equipment
- Can be integrated into labels and tags with machine-readable and human-readable data (print and barcode)
- Are used for new airplane certification as well as retrofitting on previously-certified aircraft
- Can be used as a part of RFID systems where the interrogator is: used in the aircraft while on the ground installed on ground equipment; or is a handheld device
- Use digital data for supplemental part marking and tracking, but these data are not intended to meet airworthiness requirements
- Shall be restricted to ground interrogation only, i.e., aircraft not-in-motion, and while aircraft is clear of active taxiways or runways
Who is BS EN 4818 - Passive HF RFID tags for aircraft for?
BS EN 4818 on passive HF RFID tags for aircraft is useful for:
- Manufacturers and suppliers of passive HF RFID tags
- Aerospace and defence industry
- Product design engineers
- Technical experts
- Aerospace researchers
- Aeronautical engineers
- Regulatory authorities
Why should you use BS EN 4818 - Passive HF RFID tags for aircraft?
The requirements for RFID tags to be used in the aerospace industry are very different from non-aviation uses. The parts identified by the RFID tags are high-value items, which are often used for ten years or more. Reading and writing across a moderate distance, and over the life-spans of these tagged-parts, is expected to improve data accuracy and cost savings.
Furthermore, the aerospace industry is subject to unique considerations regarding qualification, regulations, and safety, which are enforced by aviation authorities such as the EASA, FAA, etc.
These requirements, coupled with the relatively low manufacturing volumes, can drive up the per-part cost of tags developed for the aerospace industry. This can generate the need for a set of RFID tags specifically designed for use on aircraft.
BS EN 4818 covers following aspects:
- Provide a requirements document for RFID Tag Manufacturers to produce passive HF tags for the Aerospace industry
- Identify the minimum performance requirements specific to passive HF tags used on aircraft parts, accessed only during ground operations
- Specify the test requirements specific to passive HF tags for airborne use, in addition to EUROCAE ED-14 /
- RTCA DO-160 latest issue compliance requirements are separately called out in this document
- Identify existing standards applicable to passive HF tags
- Provide a qualification standard for passive HF tags which will use permanently-affixed installation on aircraft and aircraft parts
Thus, adherence to BS EN 4818 can decrease the development cost of these low-volume, high-capability RFID tags.
