The Flysight GPS - Skydiving GPS & Real-Time Performance Feedback

A real-time audio feedback system that gives the user audible information whilst in freefall or under canopy, allowing them to maximise their chosen attribute such as glide ratio or speed. 

WHAT IS FLYSIGHT?

The FLYSIGHT helps to reduce the learning process. This tiny and unobtrusive electronic device gives you the opportunity to adjust and learn whilst in freefall or under canopy. Compare the change of a given input against what you normally do and listen for the audio feedback to see how much (or less) effective it is.

If you're lucky enough to have a teammate or friend that's willing to pay and fly relative to you then you've got a great (although expensive in the long term) reference tool for trying out new body positions or techniques under canopy. If you don't, then the chances are that your only previous method of debriefing was to look at a GPS log after the jump has concluded - not the most effective method of debriefing or learning.

WHAT DOES FLYSIGHT DO?

Below is a graph from wingsuitfly.com showing the GPS receiver being used as a wingsuit training aid.

It might look complicated, but we've provided an explanation under the graph. The readout would be displayed in a similar fashion if used on canopy training flights.

At first glance, it appears complicated - but not to worry, it doesn't need to be. The software can be used to show just one or two variables, instead of lots of them like the one above.

The two straight (ish) lines in red and green correspond to the exit height (red) and distance travelled (green). You can see that the exit height is just under 14,500ft and the deployment height is around 4,200ft. Distance travelled is just short of 4 miles.

Glide ratio is displayed in grey. It starts out as a high number (6.75) and fluctuates between 1.50 and 2.50 during the dive. At the end of the jump, the pilot stalls out the wingsuit for deployment which is the sharp dip at the end of the jump (Time runs from left to right)

Almost as a mirror of the glide ratio is the Speed (blue) which is the descent speed (vertical drop rate, not forward speed)

The two lines towards the top of the graph are what indicate the speeds of the pilot. In this case, they show the ground speed (Cyan) and 3D speed (Teal) of the pilot. Flying into wind you can see that the ground speed is lower than the actual top flight speeds by around 8mph on average. The pilots top forward speed was close to 115mph.

Complex at first glance - but easy when you know what you're looking for.

So that's the post-jump de-brief for deep analysis and record keeping, but what about actual jump feedback?

Not to worry - Bionic Avionics have uploaded this video to YouTube, which is a re-construction using video and actual log data so you can see and hear what's actually going on.

The audio comes from the person being filmed, and is the actual audio output from the device - so what you're listening to is what it actually sounds like when using it!

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Unlike a lot of other GPS units, this one was developed for skydivers and features a 'hot start', meaning you can switch it on for a few minutes before boarding and then again right before exiting which starts the device with a 1 second delay - it doesn't need to re-acquire all the satellites to work!

5Hz update and logging (with a Beta 10Hz firmware available for faster updates)

Real time Feedback via the headphones jack (headphones not supplied)

u-blox 7 Chipset (ublox chips are used by some of the worlds largest telecoms and electronics manufacturers. They can be found at; https://www.u-blox.com (opens in a new window))

GPS Performance
Hot start: 1 s
Warm start: 28 s
Cold start: 28 s

GPS Accuracy
Position:2.5 m (autonomous) 2.0 m (SBAS)
Velocity: 0.1 m/s

Storage
512 MB microSD card included
One million seconds of logged data at 5 Hz
Data and configuration accessed via USB flash drive

Battery
Built-in rechargeable lithium-polymer battery
Charging time: 1.5 hours
Operating time: 2.5 to 3.5 hours

Output
3.5 mm stereo headphone jack
Requires a pair of stereo earphones (not included)

Dimensions
Width: 50 mm (2.0 inches)
Height: 50 mm (2.0 inches)
Depth: 15 mm (0.6 inches)
Weight: less than 50 g

Package Contents
FlySight GPS receiver
512 MB microSD card installed
Mini USB data/charging cable
Flysight stickers
Quick start - user guide