Hi Jason,

I've been using the telemetry for a while now on the 18MZ (using, of course, the Sbus2). I was delighted to see that Powerbox is now supporting it and I am going to get one of the adapters from them to play with.

So far I've used a number of the Futaba sensors (GPS, vario), the CB airspeed system, Carsten's ASSI device, Carsten's pressure sensor, and the Xicoy adapter for turbine parameters. Really a nice system. I've sent a number of suggestions to Futaba on how to add what I think would be useful capabilities but so far no reply and no implementation. At least Carsten listens and innovates rapidly :-)

In the latest 18MZ update they mention a new telemetry device that looks like it's an adapter for Sbus2 servos. When I started seeing Sbus2 on servos I wondered . .what info would they send back to the RX .. and reading the 18MZ release docs it looks like you will be able to read current draw and arm position and a few other items. This actually might be pretty interesting for jets. For example, when I fly my larger faster jets, I use the Robbe 2018 power box, and I get a max current of about 7A which happens at about the time in the flight where I go to full flaps on final approach. With the new adapter (the TX supports it but I have not seen it for sale yet...), I could get telemetry for the flap servo position and current to see "blowback" and current draw per servo. Neat.

What I have tried to convince Futaba is that they should be friendly to third parties who are implementing compatible sensors, which increases the utility of their system and benefits them as well as the third parties. For example allowing customizable units so you don't have to read pressure as "degrees C" in a third party pressure sensor. Or set a flight mode based on pitot-static airspeed. Many other possibilities.. Again they have not ever replied to my communications, so maybe they agree and maybe they don't.

What I'd really like to see is some way to use the telemetry data to interact with things that can go back and make some impact on the TX channels .. for example I can set an alarm for low air pressure with Carsten's pressure sensor and have the TX buzz or beep and then I am the human "gear fail safe"., Wouldn't it be nice to be able to not just ring an alarm but "virtually" throw a switch so you could implement a gear fail safe from the TX. On a few planes I do the gear/door sequencing with the TX but to get a proper failsafe you have to put the sequencer in the plane.

So far I've been working on ways to use the alarms to assist the pilot, since it is totally unrealistic for the pilot to look at any parameters on the TX. I did get one of the Robbe telemetry boxes so my spotter can look at parameters. The ultimate device for this at the moment is Carsten's stand-alone telemetry system with the Android app. I got one of these recently and look forward to flying with it in the spring. Hoping that the new OLED displays on the Samsung tablet are readable by spotters out in the sun :-)

Dave