Given its intrinsic complexity, it is not efficient to develop software defined radio (SDR) systems following traditional methodologies. A new methodology is necessary, which should allow the description of the applications at higher abstraction levels. This paper describes such a methodology. It includes domainspecific modelling languages (DSML) for SDR applications / SDR architectures, and the mechanisms to generate automatically the deployment code. The DSML language is described with precise syntax and semantics to support simulation, synthesis, and formal analysis. The potential of the modelling language is illustrated by designing a cognitive radio application called Welch periodogram detector.• Data transformation operations ∀O t ∈ O t , O t = A f , A x , P, V, req consisting of: