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  #1  
Old 04-29-2019, 08:35 AM
EngineBridge EngineBridge is offline
 
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Default Ground Proximity callout down to Touch Down

Checkout other videos on https://www.enginebridge.com/product...ntroller-copy/



Here is the video link if the click on the photo did not work: https://youtu.be/upyEWxev59k

Thanks for watching.
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Last edited by EngineBridge : 10-04-2019 at 03:44 PM. Reason: EDIT: Removed expired Promotion Code
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  #2  
Old 04-29-2019, 09:33 AM
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titanhank titanhank is offline
 
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I ordered one and will give a review when installed. I have the same type of system on the b737 and this will be a cool addition to my rv6.
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  #3  
Old 04-29-2019, 09:39 AM
BillL BillL is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by titanhank View Post
I ordered one and will give a review when installed. I have the same type of system on the b737 and this will be a cool addition to my rv6.
Love to hear if it helps landings. I have certainly thought about this as a training aid.
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  #4  
Old 04-29-2019, 09:47 AM
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Mark Dickens Mark Dickens is offline
 
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Cool idea...all that's missing is "retard! retard!"...

So, where would the LIDAR be best installed on an RV? It would need to be out of the engine exhaust stream, I'd think
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  #5  
Old 04-29-2019, 10:16 AM
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Bill Boyd Bill Boyd is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Dickens View Post
Cool idea...all that's missing is "retard! retard!"...

So, where would the LIDAR be best installed on an RV? It would need to be out of the engine exhaust stream, I'd think
My plane already yells that at me whenever I bounce a landing. But the emphasis is on the first syllable
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  #6  
Old 04-29-2019, 10:21 AM
EngineBridge EngineBridge is offline
 
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Location: Chicago
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Quote:
Originally Posted by titanhank View Post
I ordered one and will give a review when installed. I have the same type of system on the b737 and this will be a cool addition to my rv6.
Thank you. A unit will be shipped out later today and you will get the Tracking number once shipped.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Dickens View Post
Cool idea...all that's missing is "retard! retard!"...
So, where would the LIDAR be best installed on an RV? It would need to be out of the engine exhaust stream, I'd think
Possible locations are under the seats. Or using an Access Panel on the wing. Some makes the two holes needed so the entire unit is inside.

We have a taildragger customer who decided to put it all the way at the back, just to see how far his tail off the ground on touch down. The unit can be offset and calibrated to say Zero right on touch down even though it will the installed much higher than the ground. Though as a disclaimer; anything between 9" and 12" the unit will say (one). Between 0" & 4" reading, it will say Zero. The repetition is only once, so one can stay at one feet the entire runway and it will say one once. It will say one again if one would just go 4" above or lower then back again. We are able to load a firmware that works on inches, with precise readings with +/- 1 inch. Though GARMIN own docs says its 2" accurate when installed 1m above the surface to be measured.

The LIDAR unit is really small, it will not affect cruise speed if installed fully outside.

To check if the location is proper before final installation, some just make a temp access panel, drill that and place the LIDAR there for testing.

Here are some photos which show a customer's fitting with the previous GARMIN model, now we are shipping the newer GARMIN (High Performance) units. Both are identical except the newer one takes 50mA less power to operate and have a better case with integrated wires rather than a wire connection).

Thank you for your interest.







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- EMag/PMag Settings Controller
- Audio & Vocal Alert System - Make your own
- Height Call out like the big boys down to 0 feet.
- Pump Pressure Controller
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  #7  
Old 04-29-2019, 10:28 AM
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mill2978 mill2978 is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EngineBridge View Post
Exclusive for vansairforce forum viewers: $100 off coupon code for the online store.


Use Code: VANS_0419 to the get $100 off on the Landing Height Controller.

Checkout other videos on https://www.enginebridge.com/product...ntroller-copy/



Here is the video link if the click on the photo did not work: https://youtu.be/upyEWxev59k

Thanks for watching.
This looks like a great product, I'm very interested!

I looked through the docs, I see that you can play all messages via the terminal interface,can you change/configure them? For example if I wanted different call out intervals?
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  #8  
Old 04-29-2019, 11:32 AM
EngineBridge EngineBridge is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mill2978 View Post
This looks like a great product, I'm very interested!

I looked through the docs, I see that you can play all messages via the terminal interface,can you change/configure them? For example if I wanted different call out intervals?
The terminal play allows testing of the audio before removing the USB cable. The USB cable is there to input the LIDAR "actual vertical installed height" above ground. The unit can be looking at the ground at an angle, so during first setup, the controller uses both values (measured from the LIDAR) and the customer input value to triangulate if needed. It will also outputs to the screen raw data of the LIDAR return measured value which can be checked with tape measure to make sure it is within 2", by extending a tape measure in a straight line from the LIDAR glass to the ground.

The callout is currently hard-coded. During the first year of pre-release testing in several installations, the firmware went through many adjustments and enhancements to try to get the best algorithm and sequence. The first ever firmware used to callout during take off as well which is now removed with an algorithm to detect a proper descend profile before activating the callout. The controller now builds a profile of the readings and once the descend profile is confirmed, then the audio section is enabled.

Also, it used to callout while flying, back then I actually once got a 50 feet callout while at pattern altitude. A bird passed right down

Another change; callout used to be starting at 120 feet which is the max range of the LIDAR. One installation on grass airfield used to get these calls above trees. The descent profile algorithm now uses the 120 feet to 80 feet for the detection of the profile, and callout starts at 70'. This also makes sure at 70 feet you already crossed the fence boundary and probably reaching just before the numbers. Some may still get some trees if they get to within 70 feet of top of several trees together. The LIDAR sees a group of trees as a surface.

One of the issue to consider is that generally on a 500 f/min approach, the airplane is going down at little above 8 feet / second. Considering a call out will take 1 to 1.5 seconds (audio length of the callout), by the time you hear 70, you probably at 60 feet. And some even come in at 800 f/min or more. So part of the algorithm is to make a band in the range (like between 48' to 55') to announce 50. It gets better as you start to slow down the descend rate after passing the numbers. Through testing, the best so far which been reported by many is callout of 70,50,20.10,5,2,1,0. which is what is coded now. You may see some videos that says 60, that would be an older firmware. We are always happy to get input from customers for ideas to enhance the firmware.

Sorry if this is a longer reply than needed, hope this answers your question and gives more insight on the controller operation.

Regards
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Checkout http://EngineBridge.com
- EMag/PMag Settings Controller
- Audio & Vocal Alert System - Make your own
- Height Call out like the big boys down to 0 feet.
- Pump Pressure Controller
- Custom Speed Switch and Auto-Extend option
- VAF Advertiser
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  #9  
Old 04-29-2019, 12:07 PM
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Brantel Brantel is online now
 
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http://www.vansairforce.com/communit...ighlight=lidar

Glad to see someone took this all the way to a marketable product.
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  #10  
Old 04-29-2019, 12:55 PM
EngineBridge EngineBridge is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brantel View Post
Glad to see someone took this all the way to a marketable product.
👍 Thumbs Up

Back in 2016, the initial design did not use a LIDAR at all, it was a unit that gets a GPS position from GNS430W with a built-in high capacity flash chip that holds an accurate world-wide terrain and AGL data; then the unit callout the height based on GPS & terrain map. It worked successfully especially when a very high resolution terrain map is stored within the chip. Though the complexity of generating & updating the map plus the need to have a reasonably precise GPS source made make that not easily available to any airplane. The extra cost of adding an internal GPS/Antenna is a factor.

Several tries with Infrared were made, though a hot surface runway is not infrared-friendly. Garmin LIDAR is ideal and even though its near-infrared it performed well on most all conditions.

Still waiting for a seaplane or amphibious to give it a go , though expected it will not bounce back, but some initial trials with a drone did get some positive indication that more work on a special firmware can resolve some of these issues.
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Checkout http://EngineBridge.com
- EMag/PMag Settings Controller
- Audio & Vocal Alert System - Make your own
- Height Call out like the big boys down to 0 feet.
- Pump Pressure Controller
- Custom Speed Switch and Auto-Extend option
- VAF Advertiser
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