Build vs. Buy: The Economics of DO-254 Certifiable IP
Why Recreate What Already Exists?
When aerospace and defense programs require DO-254 compliance, engineering teams are often faced with a difficult decision:
Develop and certify the IP internally or purchase pre-certified IP and focus resources on the application itself.
While internal development may appear attractive at first glance, the true cost of DO-254 certification often exceeds initial estimates due to planning, verification, documentation, reviews, coverage analysis, quality assurance, and certification liaison activities.
SafeIP™ provides a proven alternative.
Internal Development vs. SafeIP™
| Category | Internal Development & Certification | SafeIP™ Certifiable IP |
| Development Effort | 6–18+ months | Immediate availability |
| Verification & Coverage | Significant internal effort | Included |
| Certification Artifacts | Must be created from scratch | Included |
| DO-254 Planning Documents | Must be developed internally | Included |
| Engineering Resources Required | Multiple FPGA, verification, and certification engineers | Minimal integration effort |
| Program Risk | High | Low |
| Certification Cost | Hundreds of thousands of dollars | Fraction of internal development cost |
| Schedule Impact | Can delay critical milestones | Accelerates development |
Engineering Effort Comparison
Internal Development
A typical DO-254 compliant IP development effort may require:
- FPGA Design Engineers
- Verification Engineers
- Certification Engineers
- Quality Assurance Personnel
- Configuration Management Support
- Independent Review Teams
In many cases, programs expend thousands of engineering hours before the IP is approved for airborne use.
SafeIP™
With SafeIP, your team can:
- Integrate proven IP immediately
- Leverage existing certification evidence
- Reduce verification effort
- Eliminate years of certification infrastructure development
- Focus engineering resources on mission-specific functionality
The Real Cost Is Schedule
For many aerospace programs, the greatest expense is not engineering labor—it is schedule delay.
A six-month certification delay can impact:
- Flight test schedules
- Program milestones
- Customer deliveries
- Revenue recognition
- Competitive positioning
By leveraging SafeIP, programs can avoid lengthy development cycles and accelerate time-to-market while maintaining compliance objectives.
Focus Your Engineers on What Makes Your Product Unique
Your customers are not purchasing an AXI interconnect, DMA engine, memory controller, or communication peripheral.
They are purchasing the unique capabilities of your system.
SafeIP allows your engineering team to spend less time certifying infrastructure IP and more time developing the features that differentiate your product.
Reduce cost. Reduce risk. Accelerate certification.
Start Your Path to Certification Today
1. Call or Email
Let us know your questions, or schedule an introductory discussion.
We would love to see how we can help you.
770-887-7293
info@logicircuit.com
2. Allow us to create a customized plan.
Whether you need a full-service solution, DO-254 certifiable IP, or a combination of the two that’s somewhere in-between, we can put together a plan that’s just right for you.
3. Let’s execute that plan together.
Our aim is to free you from the burden of the compliance process so you can put your focus fully back on your project. Gain peace of mind knowing compliance is done.
770-887-7293
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