ISO 18563-1:2015 identifies the functional characteristics of a multichannel ultrasonic phased array instrument used for phased array probes and provides methods for their measurement and verification.ISO 18563-1:2015 can partly be applicable to ultrasonic phased array instruments in automated systems, but then, other tests might be needed to ensure satisfactory performance. When the phased array instrument is a part of an automated system, the acceptance criteria can be modified by agreement between the parties involved.ISO 18563-1:2015 gives the extent of the verification and defines acceptance criteria within a frequency range of 0,5 MHz to 10 MHz.The evaluation of these characteristics permits a well-defined description of the ultrasonic phased array instrument and comparability of instruments.