March 4, 2026
This week we had the opportunity to sit down with Guilherme Bhudarally, a former Airbus engineer connected through our network, to discuss the direction of our project. The meeting was incredibly productive and helped us clarify several technical and strategic questions that had been on our minds.
Powering the System
One of the first topics we addressed was the power source for our sensor. We confirmed that the device will draw power from the aircraft’s electrical grid rather than relying on an independent battery. This simplifies the design and ensures a stable, continuous power supply throughout flight operations.
Placement and Connectivity
We settled on the cockpit as the target location for the sensor. On the topic of data transmission, we were reminded to proceed carefully — offloading information via Wi-Fi in an aircraft environment is far from trivial, and this will require dedicated attention as the project matures.
Design and Prototyping
When it comes to the physical design and form factor of the device, we learned that at a more advanced stage of implementation, that responsibility would fall to the aircraft manufacturers themselves (Airbus, Boeing, Embraer, and others). For now, our focus remains on the functional prototype.
Operating Conditions
A critical requirement that came out of the meeting: the sensor must be reliable across an extremely wide temperature range, from -100°C to +75°C, reflecting the harsh conditions at cruising altitude. That said, inside the cockpit itself, temperatures are far more moderate, typically sitting between 17°C and 30°C, which gives us a more manageable environment for the actual hardware.
Testing Challenges and Alternatives
Testing this kind of project on commercial flights is highly complex. The alternatives discussed include flights at lower altitudes and simulating radiation conditions at the CTN. These are avenues we need to explore seriously as we plan our validation strategy.
Moving Forward
We also discussed TAP’s DOA (Design Organisation Approval) as a potential pathway to formally present the project and any proposed modifications to manufacturers. Additionally, we talked through the concept of a critical path — understanding what it is and how to build and use one effectively to keep the project on track, both during and after the PIC phase.
The overarching message from the meeting was clear: we need to be proactive. Time is limited, and the decisions we make now will define the shape of everything that follows.