Effects of electromagnetic interference in aircrafts caused by portable electronic devices (PEDs)

Abstract

Great concern has been demonstrated by different aeronautic operators about the effects of electromagnetic interference in avionics and electronic equipments of airplanes, due to the use of portable electronic devices (PEDs), which can be easily carried by the passengers.Among the suspect devices, there are laptops and palmtops, audio recorders and reproducers, electronic games and toys, laser pointers, cell phones, communication radios and pagers. Uncouplings or automatic pilot deviations, mistaken indications in displays and, even, the unadverted disconnection of the avionics or variations not commanded in the control surfaces are fl aws attributed to these devices. In spite of suffering critics, several regulation agencies in aeronautics, all over the world, have prohibited the use of these portable devices, specially in the critical phases of the fl ight – landing and take off. Nevertheless, it’s getting bigger the passengers desire of using, uninterruptely, laptops and cell phones, what makes necessary the adoption of safety procedures to satisfy this demand. Besides the concern over these dangerous effects, there are yet, doubts over the topic, and, therefore, it’s indicated the need of more investigations over these phenomenons.In this work, we relate the main accomplished experiments with the intent to clarify how the PEDs, more specifi cally the cell phones, cause an undesirable electromagnetic interference.