Definition
A commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) device is a hardware product — such as a tablet, laptop, or smartphone — that is mass-produced and sold to the general public, and is then adopted for aviation use without being purpose-built for the cockpit. In the Electronic Flight Bag context, a COTS device hosts EFB applications but is not certified as installed aircraft equipment, so its use is governed by operational approval and the limitations of the apps loaded onto it.
Plain English
A regular consumer device, like an iPad you could buy in any electronics store, that a pilot uses in the cockpit instead of equipment specifically built for aircraft.
Context Anchor
Seen in Electronic Flight Bag discussions when the FAA distinguishes common portable devices from equipment built or installed specifically for aircraft use.
Derivation
The phrase comes from procurement language: a product that is already 'on the shelf' commercially, ready to buy, rather than one custom-built or specially manufactured for a specific user. In aviation, it distinguishes consumer-grade hardware from purpose-built avionics.
Why Pilots Care
COTS devices give pilots access to current apps and data at lower cost than certified avionics, but only when the chosen device and its installation meet FAA requirements for non-interference and data integrity.
Analogy
It is like using a standard smartphone for navigation in a car. The phone was not built only for that car, but with the right app and setup it can still help you navigate.
Intuition Check
Do not assume commercial means approved for airline or paid-flight use here. In this term, commercial means generally available for purchase, and off-the-shelf means not custom-built for the aircraft.
Example Sentence 1
The pilot mounted a COTS device on the yoke to display approach charts during the flight.
Example Sentence 2
Many operators now rely on commercial-off-the-shelf devices loaded with approved charting software for en route navigation.