Carsten Groen

I guess it is best to start a new thread regarding this...
I have been developing the ASSI device and a couple of other products for our jets for some time. Basically the ASSI device started as "JetCat and Futaba SBUS2" focused product. The ASSI device is explained here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-j...alogger-8.html
Along the road the product evolved, supprt for Gaspar/Xicoy ECU's was also included in the ASSI unit, but it was still "Futaba SBUS2" focused...

I (and so have others) have been a little dissapointed about the offered telemetry support in the 18MZ (and 14SG) radios (also the same story in a couple of other transmitter brands...) and I was thinking if it was the time to develop the telemetry part myself instead of "riding" along on the transmitters features. I feel there are a few things that can be done a little smarter, especially for "jet use". I have talked a lot with my local friends, gotten lots of input from you guys here on RCU, and a lot of input from Oli ("olnico" here).
Most of the transmitter brands are very good at "controlling" the plane, but only a very limited number of them has focus on the telemetry part (with one or two exceptions).

So I went ahead....At first I figured that I would make my own "pocket sized" ground station device. Then I looked at my phone....and I began writing a small app for Android I started approx 3 weeks ago in my spare time, and I have this running in a "pre-pre-alpha" version (if something like this exists ).

The application is now able to get live data from the plane (and record these for later playback), it will tell you with voice message if you have a flameout (can support multiple engines), it will warn you if your airpressure for the gear is getting low, announce the airpseed when you are going to land and bunch of other things!
Also it gets the planes current GPS position which it will show on a map.
The voice announcements that are in the video are more of an experiment, I have yet to decide what and how this should be working.

The idea is that the phone is either kept in your pocket (yes, it will work in airplane mode!) or your spotter has it in his hands. If you have it in your pocket, you will just use a normal earbud in your ear, the system will then give you warnings, errors etc with voice messages (the groundstation also have all channel info from the your transmitter (via the plane) so it can react to certain swithes, stick position etc, only limit is the imagination )

The telemetry data that are sent from the plane to the ground is using a completely seperate link, it can run both on 433 MHz (Europe etc) and on 915 MHz (US etc). A small radio module connects to the Android phone using a short USB cable (the radio module can be attached with a piece of velcro to the back of the telephone)
At some point, the ASSI device will not be "Futaba focused" anymore. I plan an update that will enable the ASSI (and hence this complete system) to be independent of the transmitter system) !

This app/system will evolve a lot more over the coming weeks/months, but it is in a state now that I think it deserves to be shown...

Now, I know that the capabilities of each transmitter manufacturer is kind of religion, so please, NO TRANSMITTER WAR in this thread. I know that some brands are much better than others at doing telemetry, but in my PERSONAL opinion, none of them does it right (for our use).

The video below is very slow and sluggish, this is due to the fact that the app is running in a PC based simulator (so I could record the video), on an actual device it runs much smoother (se video number two, this is a little older version of the app)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BO3h3BrF0c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l24p-3BFm7s

olnico

I will have my own prototype version of this very soon.
It will be compatible with current ASSI versions provided that a new firmware is loaded.
The CAN LCD module will be compatible as well in case your wife/ girlfriend/ kids want to have a second display at hand .

Quandry

Wow! very nice guys, looks like a clean UI and install. I am not on Futaba or Android so will watch from the sidelines but congrats on your nice project!

Olkajet

Looking Good !! Only trouble is waiting time to purchase Have seen this IRL and are very impressed..

It´s a "immiately put in basket" thing ..

Carsten Groen

Thanks,
"Quandry", regarding the "Android" thing, I have been asked the 1 million dollar question, when will there be an iPhone version
For now, the easiest thing is to get hold of a cheap/second hand Android phone and just use it for this

Another possible application for this, connect a HDMI adapter to the Android phone, put the data up on a large monitor and the visitors to our jetmeetings have something to look at, they can see the data from the plane live, speed, G load etc...

schroedm

My Feedback: (1)

Mate, you never cease to impress me

Springbok Flyer

Carsten,

How about turbine information, like fuel remaining?

Jan

Carsten Groen

Jan,
it's already there If you look at the bargraph furthest to the left, it says "Fuel", that is the fuel left in the tank. It will give a voice message once the fuel level reaches a certain level (can be set via settings menu). All the data that are collected by the ASSI device from the turbine is show/available in the Android app, RPM, EGT ECU battery voltage, fuel remaining etc (pump voltage will also be added)
Pressing the "Fuel" bargraph, you will get a chart showing the last minute of fuel consumption (the charts will maybe be extended to a longer period than 1 minute, thats just how it was in the demo, this as well as anything else will probably change over time )

Springbok Flyer

Carsten,

Ooeps, let me blame it on my new glasses.

Fantastic, now I just need to find a way to get the information off my AMT's....LOL

Cheers,

Jan

rhklenke

My Feedback: (24)

So does this unit have an external way to receive the telemetry signals from the Futaba SBus receiver - for those of us who have Futaba 12FG or 14MZ radios that do not include a telemetry receiver ???

Bob

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Just check in in to follow thread

philakapd

WOW.
I've written a few Android applications but would have NEVER thought of this technique....AMAZING!
I'm excited for my children to marvel in all the wonderful technologies of today and tomorrow.
I look forward to installing your app someday.
Best of luck to you.

-Clear skies to all

drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

I've messed with Telemetry with the Walkera Devo 12S transmitter and receiver. it is very cool easy to use. It gives 2 voltages, 4 temp probes, RPM, Plus with a GPS module I get speed, altitude and other things. it can be set up to alert you if they become out of a specific parameter. The drawbacks I found right off the bat is you can't look at the screen while flying, backlight is not good enough. Speed not in MPH. and No data logger... it is just real time. but it works flawless. It would be nice to Bluetooth this to something like a cell phone like Futaba. where others could monitor it.

Chris Nicastro

My Feedback: (3)

@ Carsten,
So its possible to provide live feed to the LCD MFD's installed in a cockpit, say a 1/6 F-16, with actual real data instead of a looped animation right?
You explained your products are more Futaba oriented, are you planning anything for JR/Spektrum radio systems? Or is your focus to be independent of radio systems?

Very cool tech and Im going to leave iPhone in favor of a HTC Android phone.

Carsten Groen

Thanks guys for input and comments
@Bob, the ASSI unit as it is right now, can use either a SBUS2 or a SBUS1 connection. If it has a SBUS2 connection, it will also send telemetry values to the transmitter (18MZ, 14 SG). IF it only has a SBUS1 connection it can NOT send telemetry to the transmitter as SBUS1 is one direction only. If using a SBUS1, you can only control the functions of the ASSI board, autothrottle etc etc.
BUT, the system I show here with the Android telephone will work on a SBUS1 equipped plane as the it has it own telemetry downlink, completely seperate from the RC transmitter!
So the answer to your question is YES, the system in the plane can use a original SBUS signal for controlling the ASSI device, and the telemetry to the ground will be sent using the system presented here.
In fact, it makes not much sense to use SBUS2 even if it is there (and sending telemetry to the transmitter) if you are using this Android system as it takes care of all your "telemetry needs"

@Philakapd, thanks for the nice words

@drdoom, this is exactly why I'm making this system, as I wrote, the systems on the market all has limitations and are not specific made for our use (turbine data, airpressure from retracts etc etc)

@Chris, if you look in the ASSI thread you can see a video of the CANĆCD module. The CANLCD module shows data from the plane like RPM, EGT, airpseed, battery voltages etc etc. It connects to the ASSI boards CAN bus connector (4 wires)
At some point the ASSI will be made so it is completely independent of the transmitter used (it will have the ability to connect to other brands serial busses and it will have 3 seperate normal servo inputs for controlling stuff if you are using a receiver without any serial bus outputs at all)!
As the system is today, you can actually use it stand alone in the plane. If you do that, you will not get GPS and you will not be able to use the autothrottle function of the ASSI device. If you can live with that, it will work perfectly standalone!

I will try and make a simplified block schematic of how the system interconnects, I know it can be a little complex when explaining it with words (especially since my language is Danish and not English ) but at the end of the day, the system is really simple and easy once you know the overall functions of it

Jgwright

Carsten

I am impressed with what you have achieved and especially that it is separate from the Rx to Tx link. I am like Bob and many others that use 12FG. My planes all use R6014 receivers. I was wondering if it was possible to use a cheap R6303SB S bus receiver in addition to the R6014 and use the Sbus receiver for engine control only using one of the normal servo output channels? Your system would presumably be able to read the RX information. If so I presume it would also work for any Futaba FAAST Tx.

John

Carsten Groen

Thanks John
You are absolutely correct, using a R6303SB connecting its SBUS output to the ASSI device will work perfectly!
I have just connected the exact configuration here, A 6303 receiver feeds the ASSI device with SBUS data, this enables control of the ASSI device (so you can use all it's original features, autothrottle, IAS warning modes, flap sensing etc. At the same time the telemetry is sent to my Android phone from the ASSI device!

Compared to a SBUS2 solution (18MZ/14SG) you will not get telemetry on the transmitter, which does not matter as the Android phone will take care of that
(you will also not get RX signal quality and GPS position back as this is only supported on the SBUS2 receivers, you will however get number of failsafe events back on the Android!)

So using a simple SBUS capable receiver together with f.ex a 6014 driving the plane is a perfect solution !

(come to think of it, there are small devices "out there" that will take a number of normal servo outputs and turn them into a SBUS signal. Using that you could even use this with an "old school" 35 MHz system....)

Jgwright

Carsten

Thanks for confirming what I thought.

I see that you can buy an android phone in the UK for Ł30. Does it have to be connected to a phone service? I presume it just needs a sim card in it but does not need connection to the phone network. This would make it a very inexpensive solution if so.

John

Carsten Groen

John,
Thats correct. The phone does not need to get any data from the net. In a SBUS(1) system you will also not get any GPS data from the plane, so the "map" window in my app will not work (the one shown in the first video where you can see the dot move around on the airfield). Only on a SBUS2 system you will be able to get GPS positon back (and be able to generate Google Earth files as shown in the ASSI thread) if you have the Futaba F1675 or SBS-01G GPS receivers installed.
You can even leave the phone in "airplane mode" if you are uncomfortable having it in normal mode when flying (I would recommend that)!

HoundDog

My Feedback: (49)

Next we need a connection to a Head-Up device that hangs on your hat brim or something like
Google glass. That's for the guys that can't take a quick glance at their Transmitter. I use a Aurora 9
with Telemetry and can even change screens on the fly. It just take a good knowledge of your menus
and a little practice. JMHO but keep up the good work.

Carsten Groen

Hound,
that is something that I (and others) are already looking at
In my opinion, its not an option to look at your transmitters display while flying, personally I don't dare look at it, I'm afraid I might not find my plane again in the sky (but instead on the ground)
Thats why I'm doing all the warnings etc using voice feedback. However, having a HUD display in ones (sun)glasses would be something, lets see what happens in the future

WimB

My Feedback: (1)

Carsten, very impressive, and indeed good thinking.... I have a Graupner MC32 with a Samsung S3 liked via bluetooth, but indeed, much better to send it directely to the Phone....

any plans to incorporate more Ecu's to the lineup?? I'm using two G-boosters in my F-14, (with Evojet Ecu's), and I would be véry interested to get a feedback on the engines.....

Wim

Carsten Groen

Thanks Wim!
As the ASSI system works today, you can have up to 4 engines connected (Either JetCat or Xicoy ECU equipped engines).
Another engine brand is working right now on providing support, and my hope is to be able to support even more engines i the near future! It all depends on the engine/ECU manufacturers to publish/make available their protocols

WimB

My Feedback: (1)

Well, waiting for the Evojet Support then!! along with some other input, I'm sure this would make for a much more reliable airplane.... (Evojet in the running??))

Wim

grbaker

My Feedback: (29)

Carsten, sorry if this has already beed addressed but does it have an audible countdown timer?