Rugged Edge AI for Aerospace, Automotive, and Beyond

In embedded system design, few environments are as demanding as those found in aerospace, automotive, and military applications. Engineers working in these domains require platforms that are modular, compact, high-performance, and ruggedized.

Enter the PCIe104 form factor, a long-standing standard for embedded systems in harsh environments, and SundanceDSP’s PCIe104-JET, a carrier board that brings powerful Jetson AI computing into this rugged ecosystem.

While aerospace and automotive are at the forefront of rugged AI adoption, the PCIe104-JET also addresses needs in defense, industrial IoT, robotics, scientific instrumentation, and environmental monitoring, delivering reliable edge AI where failure isn’t an option.

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What Is PCIe104? Rugged Modularity at Its Best

PCIe104 is a stackable, embedded computer form factor that eliminates the need for backplanes or motherboards. Modules stack via robust board-to-board connectors that support high-speed PCI Express links in a small, mechanically secured footprint.

Key Advantages:

• Ruggedization: Threaded standoffs and vibration-resistant connectors make PCIe104 suitable for shock, vibration, EMI-heavy, and extreme temperature environments.

• Expandability: Supports stacking of compute, I/O, storage, and FPGA boards with no external cabling or custom enclosures.

• High-Speed Data Paths: Native PCIe lanes enable low-latency communication between modules, making them ideal for applications such as sensor fusion, signal processing, and AI inference.

 

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Why PCIe104 Matters for Aerospace, Automotive, and Beyond

Developers in aerospace, defense, and autonomous systems rely on PCIe104 because it provides:

• Mechanical resilience: Survives extreme G-forces, vibration, and temperature swings.

• Long lifecycle support: Industrial-grade parts and a stable standard ensure maintainability over decades.

• Flexibility in constrained spaces: Compact boards with modular expansion offer mission-specific configurations without compromising footprint.

These same qualities also benefit robotics, industrial automation, SDR/RF systems, remote sensing, and other high-reliability edge AI deployments.

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Introducing the PCIe104-JET by SundanceDSP

To bring modern GPU-accelerated computing into the rugged embedded world, SundanceDSP developed the PCIe104-JET, a high-performance PCIe104 carrier board for NVIDIA Jetson modules.

This platform combines Jetson AI processing with the modularity and ruggedization of PCIe104, offering a plug-and-play solution for edge AI, sensor fusion, and FPGA-accelerated systems.

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Technical Specifications at a Glance

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A Developer-Friendly Software Ecosystem

The PCIe104-JET isn’t just hardware; it comes with strong software support to accelerate development:

• NVIDIA Jetson SDK Support: Includes CUDA, TensorRT, DeepStream, cuDNN, and access to NVIDIA’s pre-trained models and development frameworks.

• SundanceDSP BSP and Drivers: Ensure smooth operation between the Jetson module and connected FPGA or peripheral boards.

• Development Efficiency: Developers can build, deploy, and test full AI pipelines (vision, inference, control) directly on the device, without needing extra host-side integration.

This complete software ecosystem reduces time to prototype and simplifies transition to production.

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Application Use Cases: Rugged AI at the Edge

The PCIe104-JET is uniquely positioned to handle demanding edge computing tasks in real-world environments. Here are key use cases where it excels:

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1. Autonomous Vehicles & UAVs

System Overview:

• Stereo vision via dual CSI cameras

• IMU and GPS data via UART/I²C/SPI

• Jetson Orin NX runs deep learning models for perception and navigation

• Optional FPGA board handles real-time LIDAR/RADAR pre-processing

Benefits:

• Enables real-time SLAM, object detection, and decision-making

• Vibration-resistant for drones and autonomous vehicles

• Stackable design fits into constrained payload spaces

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2. Industrial Automation & Predictive Maintenance

System Overview:

• Sensors collect machine temperature, vibration, and audio

• FPGA processes raw analog/digital signals

• Jetson AI models detect anomalies in real-time

Benefits:

• Prevents unplanned downtime

• Real-time response to faults without cloud latency

• Expandable for multi-machine monitoring via stack-up modules

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3. Surveillance, Border Security, and Imaging

System Overview:

• CSI cameras provide  live video feeds

• Jetson performs facial recognition, motion detection, or intrusion alerts

• FPGA compresses or encrypts streams for secure transmission

Benefits:

• Edge analytics avoids costly cloud dependencies

• Works in outdoor environments with high EMI and temperature swings

• Ideal for mobile or off-grid surveillance units

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4. Software-Defined Radio (SDR), Radar, and Electronic Warfare

System Overview:

• RF front-end connects to SundanceDSP RFSoC board

• FPGA digitizes, filters, and demodulates high-speed RF streams

• Jetson classifies signals using AI/ML models

Benefits:

• Real-time signal chain performance for defense and telecom

• Compact alternative to bulky SDR racks

• Mission-adaptable via software/FPGA updates

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5. Remote Monitoring & Environmental Sensing

System Overview:

• Sensors (seismic, gas, weather) wired through GPIO/I²C/SPI

• FPGA aggregates and compresses data

• Jetson performs anomaly detection (e.g., gas leaks, seismic activity)

Benefits:

• Reliable in remote, harsh areas without constant maintenance

• Edge analysis reduces satellite or cellular data usage

• Long-term deployments with minimal service required

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6. AI-Enabled Robotics and Mobile Platforms

System Overview:

• MIPI cameras and IMUs feed perception data to Jetson

• FPGA manages motor control loops, timing, and actuator feedback

• Jetson executes reinforcement learning or behavior models

Benefits:

• Smooth integration of sensing and actuation

• Modular design allows platform reuse across different robot types

• Low-latency control is critical for precise robotic movement

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Why Developers Choose PCIe104-JET

The PCIe104-JET stands out because it uniquely blends:

• Jetson AI performance, scalable from Nano to Orin NX

• Stackable FPGA expansion, enabling real-time pre-processing

• Rugged PCIe104 architecture, trusted in defense, aerospace, and industrial deployments

• Software ecosystem readiness, with CUDA, TensorRT, and full BSP support

This combination empowers engineers to rapidly develop, deploy, and scale edge AI systems in applications where failure is not an option.