Guardado en:
Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Martínez-Heredia, Juana M., Portos, Adrián, Štěpánek, Marcel, Colodro, Francisco
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2026
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.09918
Etiquetas: Agregar Etiqueta
Sin Etiquetas, Sea el primero en etiquetar este registro!
_version_ 1866910048161103872
author Martínez-Heredia, Juana M.
Portos, Adrián
Štěpánek, Marcel
Colodro, Francisco
author_facet Martínez-Heredia, Juana M.
Portos, Adrián
Štěpánek, Marcel
Colodro, Francisco
contents The progressive electrification of aircraft systems under the more electric aircraft (MEA) paradigm is reshaping the design and qualification constraints of safety-critical avionics. Emergency locator transmitters (ELTs), which are essential for post-accident localization and search and rescue (SAR) operations, have evolved from legacy 121.5/243 MHz beacons to digitally encoded 406 MHz systems, typically retaining 121.5 MHz as a homing signal in combined units. In parallel, the modernization of the Cospas-Sarsat infrastructure, especially MEOSAR, together with multi-constellation global navigation satellite system (GNSS) integration and second-generation beacon capabilities, is reducing detection latency and enabling richer distress messaging. However, MEA platforms impose stricter constraints on available power, thermal management, wiring density, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). As a result, ELT performance increasingly depends not only on the device itself, but also on its installation conditions and on the aircraft's overall electrical environment. This review summarizes the ELT architectures and activation/operational cycles, outlines key technological milestones, and consolidates the main integration challenges for MEA, with emphasis on energy autonomy, battery qualification frameworks, EMC and installation practices, and survivability-driven failure modes (e.g., antenna/feedline damage, mounting, and post-impact shielding). Finally, emerging trends include ELT for distress tracking (DT), energy-based designs, advanced health monitoring, and certification-ready pathways for next-generation SAR services are discussed, highlighting research directions that can deliver demonstrable, certifiable gains in reliability, energy efficiency, and robust integration for future electrified aircraft.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_09918
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Emergency Locator Transmitters in the Era of More Electric Aircraft: A Comprehensive Review of Energy, Integration and Safety Challenges
Martínez-Heredia, Juana M.
Portos, Adrián
Štěpánek, Marcel
Colodro, Francisco
Systems and Control
The progressive electrification of aircraft systems under the more electric aircraft (MEA) paradigm is reshaping the design and qualification constraints of safety-critical avionics. Emergency locator transmitters (ELTs), which are essential for post-accident localization and search and rescue (SAR) operations, have evolved from legacy 121.5/243 MHz beacons to digitally encoded 406 MHz systems, typically retaining 121.5 MHz as a homing signal in combined units. In parallel, the modernization of the Cospas-Sarsat infrastructure, especially MEOSAR, together with multi-constellation global navigation satellite system (GNSS) integration and second-generation beacon capabilities, is reducing detection latency and enabling richer distress messaging. However, MEA platforms impose stricter constraints on available power, thermal management, wiring density, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC). As a result, ELT performance increasingly depends not only on the device itself, but also on its installation conditions and on the aircraft's overall electrical environment. This review summarizes the ELT architectures and activation/operational cycles, outlines key technological milestones, and consolidates the main integration challenges for MEA, with emphasis on energy autonomy, battery qualification frameworks, EMC and installation practices, and survivability-driven failure modes (e.g., antenna/feedline damage, mounting, and post-impact shielding). Finally, emerging trends include ELT for distress tracking (DT), energy-based designs, advanced health monitoring, and certification-ready pathways for next-generation SAR services are discussed, highlighting research directions that can deliver demonstrable, certifiable gains in reliability, energy efficiency, and robust integration for future electrified aircraft.
title Emergency Locator Transmitters in the Era of More Electric Aircraft: A Comprehensive Review of Energy, Integration and Safety Challenges
topic Systems and Control
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.09918