Mission‑Ready Edge AI for Rugged Avionics Platforms
Astronics have introduced the Ballard NG3 AI Accelerator, a rugged, low-SWaP edge computing solution designed to bring deployable artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities directly to aerospace and defence platforms.
Combining the proven Ballard NG3 avionics computing platform with the Hailo-8R AI processor, the NG3 AI Accelerator delivers efficient, compact edge AI processing in a rugged platform aligned with Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles and commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) deployment requirements.
High-Performance AI in a Rugged, Low-SWaP Platform
The NG3 AI Accelerator delivers up to 13 TOPS of AI inference performance, at approximately 3 TOPS per watt, making it well suited to airborne and other edge-computing applications where power, space and environmental constraints are critical.
The platform has been qualified to DO-160, MIL-STD-810, MIL-STD-461 and MIL-STD-704, supporting operation in demanding environments subject to shock, vibration, electromagnetic interference and power variations. This makes the NG3 AI Accelerator suitable for a range of applications across helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, ground vehicles and unmanned systems.
Native Avionics Interfaces Simplify Integration
A key advantage of the NG3 AI Accelerator is its integration of AI processing with native avionics I/O within a single rugged unit. Interfaces include MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429/708/717, discrete I/O and Ethernet, allowing the platform to connect directly to aircraft databuses and sensors without the need for additional protocol converters or gateways.
By combining processing and avionics interfaces in a single platform, the NG3 AI Accelerator can help reduce system complexity, wiring and latency while minimising overall size, weight and power requirements. Customers can also leverage the existing Ballard NG family ecosystem of avionics interfaces and computing platforms, providing a practical path to modernising mission architectures without extensive system redesign.
Efficient AI Processing at the Edge
At the heart of the NG3 AI Accelerator is the Hailo-8R Neural Processing Unit (NPU), providing efficient on-device inference for vision, signal-processing and sensor-fusion workloads.
Support for a broad range of AI models and frameworks enables developers to build on existing workflows and libraries for applications including object detection and tracking, audio processing, sensor fusion and onboard decision support.
Processing AI workloads directly at the edge can provide platforms with faster access to mission-critical information while reducing reliance on external processing resources and communications links.
A Practical Path to Deployable Edge AI
As part of the Ballard NG family, the NG3 AI Accelerator provides aerospace and defence programs with a rugged, aerospace-grade platform for integrating advanced AI capabilities into existing and new mission architectures.
By combining proven avionics computing and databus interfaces with dedicated AI acceleration, the platform is designed to help organisations introduce capabilities such as enhanced situational awareness, automation and real-time decision support while maintaining demanding SWaP, reliability and integration requirements.
The Ballard NG3 AI Accelerator extends Astronics’ established expertise in rugged COTS avionics computing into the rapidly evolving field of edge AI, providing defence primes, system integrators and government organisations with a practical platform for deploying AI-enabled capabilities in demanding operational environments.
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