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DIY Navigation-Computer OpenVarion (Open-source)

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kburkhard

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2014
Messages
15
Location
Germany
Hi Pilot-friends,

A rather spectacular DIY-project was designed and developed by a group of future engineers of the Academic-Pilot-Group of the Technical University of Graz/Austria.

A very well designed and even good looking Open-Source Navigation-, Soaring- and Flight-Computer, run by Open-Source Software XCSoar. Basically (but not exclusively) designed and developed for glider-pilots, the Flight-Computer is a very good and useful addition to any cockpit-panel. The best of all: Design, drawings, material-list and all you need for the build, can be downloaded at the website of the project-team free of charge. As the system is operated by the Open-source Navigation-Software XCSoar, no additional cost will arise later on by the need of updating the system or loading charts from anywhere in the world.

Material-cost is estimated to 400-500 € all together. Only problem I can see so far, that the OpenVario-Website is setup in a bar version talking from Electronic-Engineer to Electronic-Engineer in their specific technical language. Even so, the website is all in English-language.

A first and detailed description of the OpenVario-Project can be found at “UL-Segelflug.de/Blog”, at the moment in German-Language only (sorry).

UL-Segelflug.de is trying to build a bridge for people who have not studied Electronic-Science, but still like to build such a Computer. In the near future, we try to build-up a help-page with Links to Videos, showing how to solder SMD´s onto PCBs, explanations about special Technical-terms, Parts-lists and links to suppliers.

In between the blog-text, one can also find links direct to the OpenVario-Website, to the Builders-Blackboard where builders sell surplus-parts they had to order but don´t need.
One also can see at a map, whereabout the already builders are registered, 20 within Europe, 1 in the USA. You can also find their contact-address, so you can contact one or the other and ask questions about their build.

If there is a demand for an English-translation of those bridging-blogs at UL-Segelflug.de, future blogs covering the subject can also be published be-lingual (German & English).

Hope, that this fascinating and outstanding project will find lots of pilots/clubs, who are not afraid of a build-project like that and start assambling their own Nav-Computer soon.
Would be nice hearing from you. Contact via Website UL-Segelflug.de
You also can go direct to the OpenVario-Website of course, if you prefer the direct way to the project and do not need any further explanations.

Best regards from Germany

Klaus
 
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