We are very proud to introduce to RC Gliding community, the newest GliderKeeper Pico Model 311.
For those that already know GliderKeeper it will be very simple to understand the changes: We have made a big effort in industrialisation and size and cost reduction. And we have ended in a GliderKeeper Pico.
Our new baby takes its nickname from the microcontroller we are using an ESP32 PICO which is a reduced in size ESP32 it really consists in 3 pieces that may be purchased separately.
Anything you can do with a GliderKeeper can be done with a GliderKeeper Pico. But We have been designing for low weight and size for top competition Pilots and for the smallest fuselages, plus some enhancements, see below.
Now you can remove the display, saving weight and space.
We decided for a Display that is easy to read and this is why its size. The good thing is this is removable:
On the paper, you do not really need to use the display at all, as you can take advantage of the wireless capacity of the GliderKeeper Series: Reproduce the display in your Mobile, or in a GliderTimer. But we have this display available and you the freedom to use it or not.
Another good thing we are bringing with this configuration is now installation will be easier. Remember, the body of the GliderKeeper has to be attached to the fuselage or canopy of your airplane. Having the display separated with flexible wires will allow for painless installation. glue or stick your GliderKeper Pico in a suitable place and route the Display wires into an easy to access and read areas.
Thinking of this circumstance, Pico Display comes with and extension lead and a connector hub where you can connect to the Small Expansion Port both GKSync and Pico Display.
Display is a delicate thing and more sooner than later can get damaged. The positive of having it separated is you can find spares and much cheaper than the full altimeter. Also, this extension cable can help to reduce the number of insertions you are doing to the altimeter socket, making its life longer…
We will be bringing new FW version for GliderKeeper that could use a Pico Display in case GliderKeeper Display is out of order.
We have been working With FAI so we can say that from day one GliderKeeper Pico can be used in official competitions see AMRT 53 and 54 letters in FAI web site.
Also, the blinking of GliderKeeper LEDs has slightly changed to give a little better feedback of what is going on. They will warn if memory is overloaded, an emergency motor was exerted, and will give status of the Flights cycle, see the manual update instructions.
But one of the biggest breaking changes is the incorporation of the Large Expansion Port this will permit to install many future enhancements, like telemetry connection, but what is bringing NOW, is the ability to have Gliderkeeper Pico updated and maintained by the traditional USB cable.
You need to procure an electrical adapter, the Pico Programmer from your dealer and using the new version of our Desktop App you can manage a Gliderkeeper Pico from a Windows computer.
This was the Voice of the Customer. We do not encourage to use it, but as requested, this possibility is here, and certainly will help some people who do not want to use the wireless capacity of GliderKeepers, which is the same in our both configurations.
Another improvement we have been able to implement is a better stability when recording data. This improvement comes in two steps. Attending people suggestion that from time to time have their GliderKeeper memory overflown, we have implemented a circular recording feature that is when the memory of flight X reaches the top of the memory, now it will begin to write in the starting on the memory are, effectively erasing flight number 1 data and so on.
The metadata (duration, Height date… ) for flight 1 is not lost but when flight 255 is completed the system will then become unstable. So, please from time to time download and erase your memory…
This feature comes to the price the recording will be slightly slower that means the landing detection capacity will be less accurate, so, for important competitions… please come with the memory clean….
This arrangement also improves very much wrong recorded flights that came from poorly erased flights with no sensible data.
By changing some functions at low operating system level, it has been possible to improve the resolution of the throttle reading, you will note it in your plots. And will bring even more stability to your climbs and to your "low power" settings.
We will also be releasing new Firmware for the different formulae that are using an altimeter like ALES, F5L and F5K..
But yes after you landed you will be able to do a first hand analysis of you flight, review your Time of Flight, F5J Height and every detail....this is one of the biggest advantages of our GliderKeeper Family:
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