jeling 0 #1 September 9, 2009 Hi all, We are developing an application that is a "black box in a phone" solution for pilots. It provides real time 3D updates on a website and mobile phone on the location of a plane. We were discussing it with a customer and he asked an interesting question, "Does it work for skydivers?" The short answer is, I have no idea and that is where we need some help. Our application works on Android phones and is available in the Android marketplace. We are looking for a couple of people to download the app and start take their phone along for a jump. Any help would be greatly appreciated. If this does work for skydivings, it will be really exciting. It will provide people with a 3D view of their jump and you will be able to group views together so to view relative work! We have tested it quite a bit in light aircraft and it works quite well. Altitude can be a little out, but in general the flights look fantastic. The application is only written for Android at the moment, but more phones are planned. If anyone has an Android phone, is in a country where it is legal to use a phone in a plane and is interested, we would be really appreciative if you could help out. The website is gpslogbooks.com and the application is available in the android marketplace in the travel section. It is called gpslogbooks. Once again any help greatly appreciated. Cheers, James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hellis 0 #2 September 9, 2009 sounds like a cool thing to have. i think the biggest problem is geting it to work in the plane. There are GPSloggers that works for skydiving but the comon problem is the airplaneride. is it really the laws that say its illigal to use a phone in flight? or is it just airline policys? at our dropzone, most of us has our phones with us. and i think most skydivers do. i think you could just visit a nearby DZ and ask someone to wear a phone if you want to try it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeling 0 #3 September 9, 2009 Hey Hellis, We are developing it in Australia, and I have spoken to CASA and they recommend using a mobile phone as a secondary means of comms in case of radio failure. I am not sure what the situation is in the US. We have done testing in light aircraft and the GPS in my HTC Dream holds lock quite well. I am going to chat with a drop zone in Victoria next weekend, but hoping to get a decent number of people to play with it and a range of phones as well, and also look at the best ways of getting it to work. Cheers, James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bucketlistpilot 1 #4 September 9, 2009 Port it to iPhone and I'll buy itIan Purvis http://www.loadupsoftware.com LoadUp DZ Management App [email protected] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeling 0 #5 September 9, 2009 Hey, iPhone app is in development as we speak. We expect about 6 weeks. Also doing it for Nokia and Windows Mobile. Cheers, James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
martlet 0 #6 September 9, 2009 This has interesting possibilities. How quickly does it update location? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muz 1 #7 September 9, 2009 Quote I am going to chat with a drop zone in Victoria next weekend, but hoping to get a decent number of people to play with it and a range of phones as well, and also look at the best ways of getting it to work. Which DZ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeling 0 #8 September 9, 2009 Hey Martlet, It updates position every second as long as there is phone signal and it has GPS lock. Next version will have caching for when there is no phone signal. Muz, Thinking of Commando out at Tooradin. I did my 1 AFF out at Nagambie but it is a fair way away. James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muz 1 #9 September 9, 2009 QuoteThinking of Commando out at Tooradin. James, that's my home DZ. Shame I'm overseas at the moment! I tried a few times with a cheap GPS logger in my pocket (i-Blue) down at commando, but I got very noisy tracks. I wonder if it was due maybe to the gps moving around in my pocket (-> changing orientation). I should try sticking it to my helmet. Are you on skysurfer? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeling 0 #10 September 9, 2009 Hey Muz, I have the grand total of 1 AFF jumps under my belt, so definitely a newbie, but it was freaking awesome. Is there anyone in particular at Tooradin we should talk to? James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muz 1 #11 September 9, 2009 Hey James, I'm sure everyone down there will be happy to help. Ask Brian, Jeremy, Swanee they're usually down there and happy to try things out. Beware of Eric and his stories from 'the old times' Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LouDiamond 1 #12 September 9, 2009 QuoteIt updates position every second as long as there is phone signal and it has GPS lock This is where you will run into issues unless the phone has an independent GPS receiver in it. If the phone requires the use of cell towers to help it locate itself you will experience issues around 10k ft AGL give or take, as that's where cell signal usually falls off. Since most phones use both a cell tower signal and the GPS receiver to fix it's position, the accuracy usually falls off or becomes nonexistent. The result is usually a very noisy track with gross accuracy and or altitude errors. I could go on for hours but I recommend you look into the issues encountered with GPS derived altitude data vs barometric derived data and how some devices use both and those issues."It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required" Some people dream about flying, I live my dream SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jeling 0 #13 September 9, 2009 Hey Muz, Thanks for the info. LouDiamond, we only need phone signal to return. Ideally you will get lock prior to jumping in the plane and after that the GPS will do the rest. The issue with the current version is that if there is no signal, we drop the point. This will be fixed with a later version. Also depends on the GPS chipset. I have an imported T1 phone. It doesnt have the Telstra firmware and therefore tends to drop signal fairly often, however the GPS is quite good. It looks very quickly often less than 10 seconds and has a decent attempt when inside some buildings. I will try and organise something or this wekeend with one of the developers, but if anyone else out there has an Android phone, please download and see how you go :) James Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 558 #14 September 13, 2009 Miss-reading things often leads to humor. For example, miss-reading the title of this thread leads me to believe that I don't need coaching or practice to learn how to track away from a formation, just need to spend money on a new electronic gadget! Tee! Hee! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DSE 3 #15 September 13, 2009 would love it for RIM....I use a small Foretrex GPS now, but I'm always carrying my cell for off-landings. I'd rather just use my cell. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
muz 1 #17 September 15, 2009 Quote miss-reading the title of this thread leads me to believe that I don't need coaching or practice to learn how to track away from a formation, just need to spend money on a new electronic gadget! Jeling, any luck down at Tooradin? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
c1sc0 0 #18 September 16, 2009 I've got a German Android, I'm a developer & would be interested in helping you test the app. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
