[DavidC]

A question about how the subscription works for those flying several shared aircraft, eg a group share or club fleet.

If the shared aircraft group or club buys an SD2 and permanently leaves it onboard, would each member have to pay the £30 for their own SD subscription to view FLARM traffic?

If flying different aircraft, with different SD2 units, then will my own annual subscription work for me in any aircraft - i.e. it's not locked to a specific SD2 serial number?

Lastly, am I correct that this is FLARM receive only - not a FLARM transmit - so gliders with FLARM only devices won't "see" me? (They would if they have PowerFLARM because the SD2 would be transmitting ADS-B out)

[gaznav]

Without wanting the flaming from the usual suspects - well done @Tim Dawson and @uAvionix-Ramsey for giving us this. I look forward to giving this a go when we next get some gliding weather (and light aircraft weather!).

Best, Gaz

[ls8pilot]

...
At the moment CAP 1391 devices (i.e. ADSB squitting without a transponder) are, AFAIK, UK only ..

Out of interest are you aware of any published information that suggest you have to disable ADS-B out from a portable device onside the UK FIR, and at least you can continue to use it in the listening mode.

While I was in Friedrichshafen AeroExpo uAvionix were demonstrating their wares and the German Authorities were also conducting trial with LPAT during project EVA.

I've not seen anything official for EU use of stand-alone ADSB, although I know Funke participated in some trials, maybe some of our better informed folks know what is happening?

[flybymike]

SD & Sky Echo2 still won't work with my Windows 10 Tablet which has just made me dump PAW. When can we have a non WiFi interface like Bluetooth for example? I'm still electronically conspicuous through my Transponder but no longer see traffic. Frankly, the gliders that PAW & SD display can be distracting on a smaller screen, I expect even more so when you are not only picking up OGN contacts when in range but every one. The screen zoom required for accurate NAV means a lot of real estate is taken up with glider icons, which are usually miles away and not a conflict.

Doesn’t SD have a dedicated and plain uncluttered traffic Radar display in clock face format at the bottom left corner of the screen which highlights the most relevant traffic? (In addition to Paul’s suggestion)

[Tim Dawson]

Your normal collision avoidance algorithms?, when did they come about then?

A few years ago I guess. It’s how we keep you safe with traffic data coming from devices like SkyEcho and similar. Otherwise you’d have to keep looking at the screen.

@DavidC, the ability to decode Flarm will be tied to a SkyDemon subscription and not a SkyEcho device.

[gaznav]

Hi Tim, I have a SE2, when will the subscription be available?

Also, I first started using SD this time last year after being a long time AirNavPro user. Not knowing if I would like it, I decided to pay monthly. However, now I am a SD Convert (praise the Lord!) can I renew after a year to the £89 rate?

Best, Gaz

[RobertPBham]

Great bit of progress!!

On a technical front - does SE2 need to be positioned specifically to detect FLARM aircraft - i.e. if you throw SE2 in the back of the plane, would a glider dead ahead be picked up as the signal would have to pass through pilot, passenger, engine etc.

Just trying to ascertain if position is as important for FLARM alerts as it can be for Mode C/S detection.

Thanks
Rob

[gaznav]

As it comes with a rubber RAM mount then placing it somewhere where it has a clear field of view is quite easy. Remember there are no external antennae or wires, so you can squeeze it into all sorts of places for good line of sight easily.



I have not experienced any significant UAT reception issues either mounting it like I have in one of mine. I know the company explained that they had expended a lot of effor by embodying some high-end antenna tech - the reception of ADS-B and UAT seems way better than the original SkyEcho (which I also have and is similar to the one below):



As I have been saying, it would be useful to do some objective trials to understand fully the likely detection ranges. I am hatching a plan to conduct some trials within my own organisation to try and understand what might cause issues with respect to detection against various targets. However, it would be great to get someone like Coventry Uni’s School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Automotive Engineering or Cranfield Uni’s Aerospace Dept to conduct an independent assessment. That said it does meet the standards outlined in CAP1391 which is a great start.

[TexasUK]

Your normal collision avoidance algorithms?, when did they come about then?

A few years ago I guess. It’s how we keep you safe with traffic data coming from devices like SkyEcho and similar. Otherwise you’d have to keep looking at the screen.

@DavidC, the ability to decode Flarm will be tied to a SkyDemon subscription and not a SkyEcho device.

Can I please just ask if this is the same level of collision avoidance functionality that Flarm provides, or if it is significantly different? And that you currently do it with Mode S and ADS-B?

[Lerk]

Hi Tim, I have a SE2, when will the subscription be available?

Also, I first started using SD this time last year after being a long time AirNavPro user. Not knowing if I would like it, I decided to pay monthly. However, now I am a SD Convert (praise the Lord!) can I renew after a year to the £89 rate?

Best, Gaz

Having also found myself at this point I asked the question over on SD forum and apparently yes we can!

[gaznav]

@Lerk - perfect, thank you

[ls8pilot]

We have signed an agreement with Flarm that will enable our customers using a SkyEcho 2 ADSB device to receive Flarm signals directly from broadcasting aircraft.
...
uAvionix have already started shipping the SkyEcho 2. Shipping devices will start carrying the Flarm capability within a few weeks and already shipped devices can be firmware upgraded at no cost. The next version of SkyDemon will contain the Flarm decoding ability.

I was already thinking I might end up with a SkyEcho in the cockpit alongside my existing Flarm (which is integrated into my Glide/Nav computer) and use a old iphone or something to run SD to display the ADSB traffic from the SkyEcho.

This option means I could also display Flarm traffic on SD, but I would also want to keep my Flarm transmitting Flarm-Out to other gliders.

Will SD be able to filter out my own Flarm ID so I don't get alerts from myself?

I would guess also you will see many targets transmitting both Flarm and ADSB if the glider fleet start to get ADSB, so needs a way to handle double returns (a bit similar to the ADSB and Mode S problem), if you're really unlucky you could get a target transmitting Mode S, ADSB and Flarm !

[Charliesixtysix]

.......... if you're really unlucky you could get a target transmitting Mode S, ADSB and Flarm !

That'll be me then (along with quite a few others already I would guess)....

We have had PowerFlarm and ADSB out via TT21 for the last couple of seasons with no problems of multiple contact reported back so far.

[xtophe]

Will SD be able to filter out my own Flarm ID so I don't get alerts from myself?

You will have to set your Flarm ID to your ICAO Hex address. PowerFlarm uses that to remove the duplicate traffic. Hopefully SD has/can implement something similar.

[Gwynge]

People seem to get very excited about collision avoidance... but how often does it actually happen? Almost never? Anyone got the stats of mid-airs?