Making Linux fly: Siebel School researchers work on aviation certification for the Linux kernel | Siebel School of Computing and Data Science
https://siebelschool.illinois.edu/news/linux-kernel-fly-boeing
Publish Date: 2026-02-24 18:03:00
Source Domain: siebelschool.illinois.edu
In work awarded a best paper at the 2025 Digital Avionics Systems Conference, Siebel School of Computing and Data Science graduate student Wentao Zhang and his collaborators at Boeing developed safety-testing infrastructure for the Linux kernel, advancing the goal of certification for commercial aviation.
Photo Credit: Adobe Stock / Ralf
Linux is a free and open-source operating system kernel.
Linux, a free and open-source operating system kernel, is used in many computer systems from large-scale data centers to mobile Android devices. Its popularity and active development community make Linux a strong candidate for use in the aviation industry. However, it is necessary to rigorously evaluate and certify the safety of Linux based on regulatory requirements.
Researchers in The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and The Boeing Company have taken the first steps to evaluating and certifying Linux for aviation, developing a specialized testing infrastructure.
The status of their work was presented at the 2025 Digital Avionics Systems Conference, where the paper “An Open-Source Structural Coverage Tool for DO-178C Compliance” was awarded first place in “The Best of Conference” Awards.
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