This SAE Aerospace Standard (AS) provides minimum performance and design standards to be applied to an Aviation Distress Signal, a handheld, high- intensity, stroboscopic light source designed to facilitate location and rescue of aviation accident/ditching survivors by ground, sea or airborne search and rescue resources.

The purpose of this document is to define a device that can be used in lieu of pyrotechnic devices in aviation survival kits - while meeting two primary objectives: (1) provide an equivalent level of safety to pyrotechnics with respect to utility as an aid to search and rescue, and (2) eliminate significant potential equipment and personnel hazards posed by the use of pyrotechnics by untrained personnel in inflatable life rafts.