[Editor’s Note] This is a guest post from Harold Kimball and Jeff Bester from the ETI team, who shared how they successfully integrated Understand into their avionics power management system project. We’re excited to share that this project was so successful, it led to a formal partnership between our two companies. We’re now working together to offer a complete, joint solution for DO-330 Qualification for Understand, and we think Harold and Jeff’s insights are the perfect place to start if you’re looking for a better way to tackle your qualification efforts.
Why We Chose SciTools Understand for DO-178C DAL A Project
In 2024, our Enabling Technology and Innovation (ETI) team faced a significant challenge: developing software for an avionics power management system that would meet the rigorous objectives of DO-178C Design Assurance Level (DAL) A [ed. This is the highest safety criticality level. It applies to software whose failure would cause a catastrophic failure condition resulting in multiple fatalities or the total loss of the aircraft]
In safety-critical aerospace projects like this, selecting the right static analysis tool is crucial. We needed broad automated MISRA coverage, a solution that would integrate seamlessly into our existing development process, pricing that wouldn’t break the budget, and a vendor we could trust to support us along the way.
After a thorough evaluation period, SciTools Understand emerged as the clear choice. Here’s why.
The Selection Criteria That Mattered Most
1. Ease of Use
Getting started with Understand was remarkably straightforward. Point the tool at your source tree, specify your compiler, select your MISRA version, and let it do its thing. It watches your compilation process to build a picture of your codebase and provide an accurate representation of your current compliance status.
We were up and running in no time, with developers analyzing their modules prior to code peer reviews, resolving any MISRA violations, and then providing Understand reports as part of the code peer review package. Understand’s intuitive interface and workflow meant our engineers could become productive immediately, with minimal ramp-up time. No week-long training sessions. No cryptic configuration files. Just results.
2. Comprehensive and Consistent MISRA Enforcement
Understand covers 91% of MISRA C rules right out of the box, with support spanning MISRA C 2004, 2023, and 2025. That breadth means Understand supports our current project while also positioning us well for future efforts—whether we’re maintaining this codebase for decades or starting new projects that require different MISRA versions. We’re not locked into a tool that becomes obsolete when standards evolve.
Developers rely on the tool’s analysis engine to deliver the same results run after run, which is exactly what Understand delivered.
3. Clear Rule Violation Callouts with Added Flexibility
Understand clearly points out exactly where each violation occurred in the code and provides the specific MISRA rule violation by number. This made it straightforward for engineers to understand what needed to be fixed and why.
When a MISRA rule conflicted with our coding standard or a specific design decision was justified, Understand allowed us to place overrides directly in the code. This flexibility meant we weren’t locked into rigid analysis that couldn’t accommodate real-world engineering decisions—we could document exceptions where they made sense while maintaining overall compliance.
4. Affordability
With strict budget requirements, we needed a tool that was affordable compared to other options on the market. SciTools Understand delivered on that front.
What really stood out was the transparency—pricing was stated up front without having to engage in multiple levels of sales conversations just to find out the expense. No runaround, no “let me check with my manager,” just clear information that let us make an informed decision quickly.
For a project already carrying the significant cost of DO-178C certification and operating under tight time constraints, that kind of pricing clarity and affordability was a real relief.
5. What Really Set SciTools Apart: The People
Pre-Sale Support That Actually Helped
Before we committed, SciTools provided an evaluation period that let us test Understand against our actual codebase and workflow. But what impressed us most was the quality of their pre-sale technical support.
They didn’t just hand us a trial license and disappear. Their team answered detailed questions about the tool’s feature set—in addition to rule checking and reporting, this included things like software metrics, complexity calculations, and graphing support. They provided honest assessments of what the tool could and couldn’t do. No sales pressure. No overpromising. Just knowledgeable engineers helping us make an informed decision.
Post-Sale Support That Keeps Delivering
After purchase, that same level of support continued. When we found edge cases or didn’t fully understand why a particular rule was flagged, we would submit a ticket and the support staff would engage us almost immediately, always on the same day. If the issue was one that needed an update to the tool, their team quickly resolved the issue, notified us and provided an updated build of the tool. That kind of responsiveness kept us moving forward on our tight certification schedule rather than stuck waiting for fixes.
6. Continuous Innovation at No Extra Cost
SciTools ships bi-weekly updates at no additional cost. But what really got our attention was the scope of what those updates cover.
Beyond MISRA compliance, Understand includes:
- Effective C++ checks
- SEI CERT coding standards
- MITRE CWE Top 25 vulnerability detection
- BugHunter for defect detection
- AUTOSAR support for automotive-grade standards
- Regular enhancements based on user feedback
For us, that breadth and update cadence sent a clear signal: SciTools takes this tool seriously, invests in it continuously, and we could trust it for the long haul. It also means we’re covered for future projects that may involve C++, require vulnerability scanning, or if we have a need for supporting software in the automotive space.
7. DER Familiarity
Our Designated Engineering Representative (DER) was already familiar with Understand, which provided additional confidence in our tool choice. The DER even noted some features of the tool we could take advantage of for supporting DO-178C DAL A objectives.
Conclusion
Selecting the right static analysis tool for DO-178C DAL A certification is a critical decision that impacts your schedule, budget, and compliance success. SciTools Understand delivered on every front that mattered to us: comprehensive automated MISRA coverage, ease of use that got our team productive immediately, flexible analysis that accommodated real-world engineering decisions, transparent and affordable pricing, and exceptional support both before and after the sale.
What impressed us most was how Understand went beyond just checking compliance boxes. The tool improved our coding practices, integrated seamlessly into our development workflow, and even helped us identify implementation issues that we’ve incorporated into our coding standards for future projects. When we encountered edge cases or needed clarification, SciTools’ support team responded the same day and delivered fixes quickly.
For teams working on safety-critical aerospace projects that require DO-330 tool qualification, we highly recommend SciTools Understand. The combination of technical capability, vendor responsiveness, and established credibility with DERs made our certification effort smoother and our engineering team stronger.
