MAD documentation

Verification plan

The staged testing Rev A must pass before it is connected to an initiator or flown.

This is the plan for qualifying the prototype, not a record of completed tests. Rev A is an engineering prototype, not a certified flight-safety product.

1. Unpowered inspection

  • Keep the ARM jumper (J3) open and leave the match terminal (J2) disconnected.
  • Inspect polarity and orientation, and measure resistance from each rail to ground.
  • Verify the firing-bank bleeder and confirm the firing MOSFET gate is pulled low.

2. Current-limited bring-up

  • Use a bench supply at 3.7 V with a 100 mA limit, then raise the limit gradually.
  • Confirm the 5 V and 3.3 V rails, and check that the firing bank remains discharged with J3 open.
  • Connect USB and verify that USB alone cannot charge the firing bank.
  • Repeat functional rail checks at 3.0 V and 18.0 V while monitoring regulator temperature and input current.

3. Logic and sensor

  • Program firmware over SWD, then verify USB STATUS, DUMP and disarmed ERASE.
  • Rotate the board through known orientations and compare raw magnetometer data with a reference magnetometer. Characterize installed-airframe hard- and soft-iron bias.
  • Verify every reset and fault path leaves the charge and fire commands low.

4. Inert firing-load test

  • Use a non-inductive 1.8 Ω pulse-rated resistor and an oscilloscope. No match.
  • With a guarded setup, install J3, allow charge, and record capacitor voltage, load current, pulse width and MOSFET voltage. Inspect the PCB and terminal thermally.
  • Repeat at 3.0, 3.7, 9, 12 and 18 V and at temperature limits.
  • Confirm that removing J3 independently blocks both charging and firing.

5. Controlled initiator test

Only after independent review and inert-load acceptance, test production-lot matches in a legally compliant remote fixture with shielding, exclusion distance and fire controls. Establish statistical margin; one successful firing is not qualification.

6. Flight qualification

Vibration, acceleration, EMI, brownout, watchdog, data-retention, thermal-cycle, airframe magnetic calibration and failure-mode testing are still required.