Use tablet internal sensors for AHRS - iFly Wish-List - iFly EFB

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HomeHomeDiscussionsDiscussionsiFly Wish-ListiFly Wish-ListUse tablet internal sensors for AHRSUse tablet internal sensors for AHRS
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3/24/2015 7:40 AM
 

Maybe so. And yet, there is some reason that Foreflight only uses an external AHRS device, not the built-in sensors available within the iPad.

 
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3/28/2015 12:46 PM
 

It doesn't matter what foreflight does. When foreflight was written there were no internal sensors in tablets like we have now.

This request is for the developers anyway and it would be nice if they responded as they usually do. Maybe they are researching it!

 
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3/29/2015 6:22 AM
 

Shane has addressed this tangentially, when it was asked whether the new 740 would have an internal AHRS. Among the reasons listed for why they decided that wasn't a good idea was this:



Shane wrote:

It's also needed to have the AHRS permanently mounted in a Fixed / Level location, this would not work for yokes, kneeboards, handheld, etc. A quality aviation suitable AHRS is not cheap and would add sibstancially to the retail, we've tested many a AHRS boards. Good questions.

 
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3/30/2015 10:07 AM
 

There are differences between an aviation grade AHRS and a tablet's built in sensors. First, the level of accuracy is not the same; an aviation AHRS is depending on very accurate solid state gyroscopes, where as tablets tend to use accelerometers. Second, an AHRS board includes very fast sampling using a dedicated processor to ensure accuracy, whereas a tablet tends to just report real time information and apps can sample and interpret as needed - so a big loss of resolution. Third, an AHRS is intentionally placed close to level and tablets can be in just about any orientation. The end result is tablets focus on the gravity vector, which is pretty much irrelevant in an airplane (in a coordinated turn the g-vector doesn't change).

It's possible to simulate the artificial horizon using tablet sensors, but the data must be combined with GPS information for any sort of accuracy. And it breaks down if you are getitng into unusual attitudes. An good aviation AHRS doesn't use GPS, it properly senses turns and banks, and doesn't get confused easily.

-Walter


Walter Boyd
President, Adventure Pilot
 
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