RTCA DO-160G: Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment

Modern defense and aerospace systems operate in some of the harshest environments imaginable. From freezing altitudes to tropical humidity and intense vibration, every onboard component must survive conditions that push materials and electronics to their limits. To ensure this reliability, manufacturers follow RTCA DO-160G, a comprehensive environmental testing standard for airborne and mission-critical equipment.

This specification serves as the foundation for verifying that electrical and electronic systems will perform safely and consistently under real-world environmental stresses.

What is RTCA DO-160G

RTCA DO-160G, formally titled Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airborne Equipment, is an internationally recognized standard developed by the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics (RTCA). It defines laboratory test conditions and procedures that simulate the environmental stresses experienced by aircraft equipment during operation and storage.

The standard applies not only to civil aviation systems but also to military, unmanned, and hybrid platforms that require certified reliability in flight and airborne operations.

DO-160G is currently the seventh major revision, published in December 2010. It incorporates decades of accumulated data and harmonizes testing practices between the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and Department of Defense (DoD).

Purpose and scope

The goal of DO-160G is to verify that equipment can withstand a combination of mechanical, climatic, and electromagnetic stresses encountered throughout an aircraft’s life cycle.

It covers equipment such as:

Avionics computers and displays
Communication and navigation systems
Power distribution units
Lighting controllers and NVIS-compatible lamps
Flight data and monitoring sensors

Unlike performance standards, DO-160G does not specify how a device should function. Instead, it ensures that the environmental resilience of a device meets the requirements needed for reliable performance in flight.

Test categories in DO-160G

The standard is divided into a series of test categories, each representing a different environmental stress or operational factor.

Category	Test Type	Purpose
Section 4	Temperature and Altitude	Simulates temperature extremes and pressure changes at altitude
Section 5	Temperature Variation	Rapid thermal cycling
Section 6	Humidity	Exposure to high humidity and condensation
Section 7	Operational Shock and Crash Safety	Verifies structural and mechanical durability
Section 8	Vibration	Ensures function under continuous vibration or turbulence
Section 10	Waterproofness	Evaluates protection against rain and water spray
Section 15	Magnetic Effect	Tests for interference with compasses or sensors
Section 20	Radio Frequency Susceptibility (Radiated)	Ensures EMC compliance under strong RF fields
Section 22	Lightning Induced Transient Susceptibility	Simulates nearby lightning strikes and induced surges
Section 25	Electrostatic Discharge (ESD)	Tests resilience to static discharge events

Depending on its intended location in the aircraft, each component is assigned a category level that defines how severe the test should be. For example, cockpit-mounted devices undergo less temperature cycling than externally mounted antennas.

Relationship to other standards

RTCA DO-160G often overlaps with military and industrial test standards. Many manufacturers use it alongside or as an alternative to:

Standard	Application	Typical Use
MIL-STD-810H	Environmental engineering for military systems	Ground and airborne military equipment
MIL-STD-461G	Electromagnetic compatibility	EMI/EMC testing for electrical systems
IEC 60068	Environmental testing (civil/industrial)	Commercial and industrial electronics

When defense equipment must be installed on dual-use or airborne platforms, compliance with both MIL-STD-810 and RTCA DO-160G is often required.

Applications in lighting and tactical equipment

For companies designing aerospace or NVIS-compatible lighting, DO-160G plays an important role in demonstrating environmental durability and EMC compatibility.

Temperature and vibration testing ensures that cockpit lighting, control panels, and external lamps function under high vibration and temperature swings.
Waterproofness and humidity tests confirm sealing integrity for exposed connectors and housings.
RF and lightning tests verify that lighting control systems do not emit interference or suffer damage from nearby electromagnetic events.
Electrostatic discharge testing prevents premature LED or circuit failure in dry climates or during maintenance operations.

Meeting DO-160G not only provides regulatory assurance but also supports compatibility with broader avionics integration programs.

Advantages of compliance

Proven reliability under flight-level stresses
Enhanced system safety and reduced risk of mission failure
Streamlined certification for both civil and military aircraft
Demonstrated compatibility with other onboard systems through EMC testing
Extended service life of electronics and lighting equipment

For procurement and quality teams, DO-160G compliance is often a precondition for inclusion in aircraft modernization, UAV, and defense retrofit programs.

Environmental considerations

Each test method includes defined severity levels, allowing manufacturers to match equipment testing with its installed location, such as:

Category A: Protected cabin interior
Category B: Unpressurized area inside the fuselage
Category C: External installation exposed to full environmental stress

Products must be tested and certified by an accredited environmental test laboratory, which provides full data logs, photos, and certification reports as part of qualification documentation.

Frequently asked questions