GliderLink - New team soaring app for airborne location sharing

Here's a discount code you can use to get 20% off a goTenna order: NOEXCUSES. Eight people from my club just bought an 8 pack of Meshes for $463.20, less than $58 each!

I also would like to see an IOS version. Thanks, great work!

On Wednesday, April 25, 2018 at 8:11:32 PM UTC-7, Ben Hirashima wrote:
I'm excited to announce a new soaring app I've developed called GliderLink. The app shows your location and the location of nearby gliders on a moving map. You can see the other gliders' callsign, relative altitude, heading, and vertical speed. That's about it right now; it's very simple. The value of this app is that it allows you to quickly see where nearby gliders are, and whether they're in lift or sink. No more confusion on the radio trying to communicate to others where you are. With this app, all it takes is a glance. This enables team soaring, and increases safety by helping you be aware of where other gliders are. It could also be useful for lead/follow cross-country mentoring.

The app is free, and always will be. I developed it as a hobby and as a service to the soaring community. The app is for Android 4.3 and above, and requires Bluetooth LE (low energy, aka 4.0). I may make an iOS verison if there is enough interest. However, a used Android phone can be had for a song these days, if you don't want to wait.

Here's a screenshot:

https://glider.link/wp-content/uploa...5-768x1580.png

One unique thing about this app is that it doesn't require a cellular or Internet connection to share your location with others. Instead, it uses a device called a goTenna Mesh, which pairs to your phone/tablet using Bluetooth, and contains a separate radio that it uses to communicate with other goTennas. It's like a peer-to-peer airborne datalink. GliderLink uses the goTenna to directly send your GPS coordinates to other users of the app; once every 20 seconds. No cell towers, base stations, or servers are involved. You can put your phone in airplane mode, and still use the app and goTenna.

This is what a goTenna Mesh looks like:

https://glider.link/wp-content/uploa...naKeychain.jpg

You mount the goTenna Mesh in your cockpit, in a location where it will have line-of-sight to other gliders. I have mine velcroed to the underside of my canopy, but it also works well if you tape it to the end of your microphone boom where it can "see" out through the canopy. Here's what it looks like on the underside of my canopy:

https://glider.link/wp-content/uploa...nopy_below.jpg

In my testing, the maximum range of the goTenna Mesh is around 41.2nm (76..3km). However, the reception is not reliable at that range. In practice, you can get fairly reliable reception within about 10nm (18.5km), which is plenty. The app shows gliders in green if you've received a position update from them recently. If the app hasn't received a signal from them in a while, the glider will be shown in orange, then red if it's been a long time.

The cost of the goTenna Mesh is quite reasonable. They sell for about $72-90 each, depending on how many you buy at once. You can buy them from goTenna, or in outdoor stores like REI. Note that GliderLink uses the goTenna Mesh, not the original goTenna or the Pro. You can save $20 by ordering a goTenna Mesh from this link: https://www.talkable.com/x/IgisuY. This is their standard referral program, and I get a small reward from it. It would be nice way to say thanks for the app, but you don't have to use it if you don't want to.
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The app can be downloaded right now from Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...der.gliderlink

The app will walk you through some setup, which involves requesting permissions, downloading a map for offline use, and entering your callsign in the settings. Downloading the map ahead of time ensures that it will be available while airborne, where you may not get cellular reception. Make sure the phone is on WiFi when you're downloading the map. It can use a lot of data if you're on a cellular connection. The larger the map area you select, the more data/storage will be used. Once setup, tap the little switch button in the corner of the screen to connect to the goTenna Mesh(make sure it's on) and start sending/receiving data. There is also a demo mode, accessible from the menu, that allows you to see a demonstration of what it looks like when you're flying with other GliderLink users.

There are many more features I'd like to add to this app in the future. Some possibilities include:

- Mesh networking: In addition to broadcasting your own location, the app could re-broadcast the locations of other gliders it sees, increasing the robustness and range of the network.
- Base station mode: If on the ground, the app could broadcast live weather data to glider pilots, such as wind speed and direction at the airport. It could also send the locations of any gliders it sees to a server on the Internet, so that people at home, or the FBO, can see where they are, sort of like glideport.aero.
- Lift marking: Recently used thermals could be marked on the map. Color coded glider tracks could also be shown, for visualizing wave/ridge/convergence lift.
- Mayday mode: Broadcast to anyone in range that you are in trouble, or need a retrieve.
- Internet connectivity: If you do happen to have an Internet connection while airborne, the app can use it to share your location as well, further increasing the robustness of the system.

I, and a few other pilots, have been testing the app around Hollister, California, and find that it comes in handy. I hope you do too, and I look forward to hearing what you think!

I have a website set up for GliderLink, but I haven't had a chance to put anything on it yet. You can check it later for more info: https://glider.link

Cheers,
Ben

Kudos on developing this Ap, but probably half of my friends have Iphones, so they can't use it. This makes it a tough sell.

Tom

Ben, as I understand this the real purpose of the cell phone app is to manage the mesh data and display it? What if the phone app also converted the glider position data into a NMEA stream compatible with SeeYou Mobile (for Oudie displays) and XCSoar, LK8000 etc and transmitted that info via Bluetooth?

Perhaps the FLARM message protocol could be used?

You could then stick your hosting phone in your pocket and have the mesh data on a nice readable display.

That would be AWESOME!

Kirk
66

Interesting idea about Bluetooth to Oudie. Might be possible.

A couple of people have emailed me asking about a problem with the goTenna disconnecting. I have updated the FAQ regarding this:

https://glider.link/faq/

Basically, update your goTenna's firmware using the official goTenna app:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...otenna.gotenna

I would love to hear from anyone who has been using the app. How is it working for you?

On Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 7:57:47 PM UTC-5, Ben Hirashima wrote:
I would love to hear from anyone who has been using the app. How is it working for you?

Ben, I haven't had any opportunity yet, but hope to get to fly within next 8 days and will let you know how it went. I tried out the software on the ground and walked around few blocks. For that purpose I wish I could zoom-in even more, to a more detailed map, but I guess the map range limit will be OK when in flight.

Tom BravoMike

On Sunday, May 20, 2018 at 5:57:47 PM UTC-7, Ben Hirashima wrote:
I would love to hear from anyone who has been using the app. How is it working for you?

I got the package of 8 goTennas for the club. Haven't got anyone up to speed yet, but I've trialed it with one unit on the ground and one in my glider, my longest contact was 14 miles.

I have 2 reactions. 1. It seems to be very power hungry, and 2. It needs to have a shutdown or exit command, as the power consumption seems to continue after you quit using it. I'm using a Samsung s5 and put it into airplane mode with location and bluetooth on. After I'm done using it the only way I have successfully terminated it is by doing a restart.

I think it has great potential and an interface into nav programs would reduce display requirements.

Folks, please don't confuse PowerFlarm with Flarm.

In my opinion, Flarm should have been chosen as a universal system for worldwide collision avoidance between all aircraft over ADSB-out/in. It wasn't, and Flarm is banned in the US. PowerFlarm is a very low transmit power attempt at salvaging some Flarm capability.

I see many local XC pilots contemplating or already installing ADSB-out to promote safety with respect to non-glider traffic. (Only one of my many close calls was with another glider) With limited money, battery power, and panel space, and with only a minority of gliders/towplanes equipped, I expect PowerFlarm to go extinct.

Your technology may also be a preferred alternative to SPOT and other locator services.

Ben,
Thank you for your effort!!!
Solving the cost, power, and panel space problem in one system is what we need. My wishes/requests for your development a

- Consider adding input from Stratux. Stratux is a $100 1090 and 978 MHz receiver that collects direct ADSB-out, UAT-out, rebroadcast TIS-b, weather, and NOTAM data from aircraft and ground towers, and puts it in a serial stream on a WiFi port. I use it with Avare, an open source EFB/navigation app. Parsing the stream for aircraft positions to be displayed on your map should be relatively easy.

- Adding mesh relay capability with fixed or mobile ground stations to close the gap between gliders too far apart. Internet connected mesh nodes would be desirable where there aren't enough airborne nodes to complete the mesh. I would love to see our club run a ground network for real-time tracking of all gliders in the area. This would give peace of mind to ground crews, knowing who may be landing out and where. Such a network may also save lives by giving a head start on search and rescue by providing undelayed info regarding where a glider went down. (Most gliders don't carry an ELT.)

- Adding internet map server capability to the above mentioned mesh for the piece of mind of airport crews, XC crews, spouses, friends, etc...

Thank you so much,
Wit