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Siebel School Researchers Pursue Aviation Certification for Linux Kernel

February 24, 2026By ePlane AI

Linux Kernel

Aviation Certification

Boeing

Siebel School Researchers Advance Linux Kernel Toward Aviation Certification

Researchers at the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, in partnership with Boeing, are pioneering efforts to certify the Linux kernel for use in commercial aviation. This initiative, recognized with top honors at the 2025 Digital Avionics Systems Conference, focuses on developing a safety-testing infrastructure designed to meet the stringent regulatory standards required for aviation software. The project has the potential to transform the software landscape within the aviation industry by introducing an open-source operating system kernel into safety-critical environments.

Addressing Challenges in Aviation Software Certification

Linux, a widely used free and open-source operating system kernel, underpins a vast array of technologies, from data centers to smartphones. Its adaptability and the strength of its development community make it an appealing candidate for aviation applications. However, integrating Linux into safety-critical aviation systems presents considerable challenges. These include ensuring compliance with rigorous industry standards, managing the complexity inherent in kernel integration, and navigating the regulatory framework that governs aviation software certification.

The research team, led by Ph.D. student Wentao Zhang and advised by professors Darko Marinov and Tianyin Xu at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Grainger College of Engineering, has collaborated closely with Boeing to overcome these obstacles. Their award-winning paper, titled “An Open-Source Structural Coverage Tool for DO-178C Compliance,” details a specialized infrastructure designed to evaluate the safety and test coverage of the Linux kernel.

“Our goal is to ‘make Linux fly,’ and the first step is to ensure that the kernel meets safety standards,” Zhang explained. “We are working on measuring the test adequacy of the Linux kernel code to understand the gaps. Our collaboration with Boeing has resulted in infrastructure that can help perform mandated safety tests on Linux.”

Meeting the Rigorous Standards of DO-178C

A central objective of the project is to achieve compliance with RTCA DO-178C, the internationally recognized standard for aviation software certification. This includes demonstrating Modified Condition/Decision Coverage (MC/DC), a demanding code coverage criterion required for the highest certification level, Software Level A. Unlike user-space applications, certifying an operating system kernel requires unique technical solutions, as traditional coverage tools often depend on operating system services unavailable in kernel space. To address this, the team employed debug mechanisms that persist in-memory data to disk, enabling precise measurement of code coverage within the kernel.

Zhang’s collaboration with Boeing Technical Fellow Steve VanderLeest, an alumnus of Illinois Grainger Engineering, also involved rigorous verification of the coverage tools themselves, a critical component in the certification process to ensure tool reliability and accuracy.

The timing of this initiative coincides with the anticipated release of Linux kernel version 7.0, which is expected to introduce significant updates. These changes may influence the researchers’ timeline and certification goals, necessitating continuous adaptation of their tools and methodologies.

Industry Implications and Future Prospects

Market reactions to the prospect of Linux certification for aviation have been mixed. Some industry stakeholders remain skeptical due to Linux’s relatively limited presence in the aviation sector to date. Competitors may respond by accelerating their own open-source projects or by reinforcing proprietary solutions, leveraging established industry relationships to maintain their market positions.

Despite these challenges, the progress made by the Siebel School team underscores the increasing real-world impact of academic research on critical infrastructure. As Professor Xu remarked, “Software reliability is no longer only in academic papers but in fact influences the software to be deployed on airplanes, which everyone’s life relies on at some point of time.”

This project represents a significant advancement toward the broader adoption of open-source software in aviation, with the potential to enhance safety, transparency, and innovation across the industry.

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