FPGA porting and benchmark across different manufacturers

In the dynamic field of avionics systems, the rapid evolution of technology is a constant threat to the longevity of avionics projects. This challenge is particularly evident for key components such as Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), which can quickly become obsolete. Specifically, a FPGA is a type of integrated circuit that can be programmed and configured by users to implement any digital circuit. Recognizing the importance of addressing this challenge, this thesis, conducted in collaboration with Leonardo Electronics and based on a real project using two specific FPGAs, aims to identify possible alternatives among those available on the market while keeping the power consumption unchanged. Therefore, the goal of this thesis is to propose a method for the timely replacement of potentially obsolete components with alternative technological solutions, in order to ensure the resilience and longevity of avionics systems. A key consideration includes a benchmark by porting the original code to new potential candidate platforms. For reasons of confidentiality, the project architecture has not been analyzed in detail in the chapters and is referred to as the "reference architecture”. In researching potential alternative FPGAs , it is important to consider the key factors that differentiate one FPGA from another, including the manufacturing process, logic blocks, memory, DSP capabilities and I/O compatibility. These factors play a significant role in determining the performance, capabilities, and suitability of an FPGA for specific applications. In this regard, current FPGAs in use are considered as evaluation baseline. In addition, compliance with the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA) DO-254 standard is required. This standard ensures the safety and reliability of airborne electronic hardware. Once the FPGAs were selected, in order to collect the required implementation results, a full design run including synthesis, place and route as well as power simulation was performed using Xilinx VIVADO 2019.1, Microchip LIBERO 2021.3, INTEL QUARTUS 18.0 and Lattice Radiant 2023.1. In particular, the benchmark process enables the comparison of power consumption and performance among FPGAs. It provides an overview of the impact of technology on power consumption, assuming that performance remains unchanged. Hence, the results highlight the advantages and disadvantages of all the FPGAs selected and help to evaluate and select the best candidates to replace the FPGAs currently in use.