by RCModelReviews » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:59 pm
I'm just about to start working on a speech synthesis add-on to the basic telemetry dashboard I've built.
Having spent a lot of time working with UAV flight-control/telemetry systems, there's one thing I should point out that a lot of people probably haven't realized and that is how dangerous it is to take your eyes off a model while it's flying.
Okay, your average sunday-sport model is okay but, if you're trying to go for high-speed or your specking out your favorite thermal soarer, you really don't want to have to take your eyes off that model and look down at your transmitter to see how far/fast you are.
The standard FrSky 2-way system will use the combination of a buzzer and some LEDs to signal various conditions. I've yet to see the final system but I'm assuming the LEDs will be on the module (as with Hitec's Spectra 2.4GHz) and this poses an even greater problem. When the buzzer sounds, you'll have to turn the transmitter around to see which LED is glowing/flashing to find out what's caused the alarm condition.
The other problem with buzzers is that it can be very difficult to tell who's transmitter is beeping on the flightline.
For these reasons, I'm opting to use speech synthesis and an earplug/bud so that you can have the telemetry system "speak" the chosen parameters (altitude, speed, distance, alarms, etc). This would enable you to fly the model and benefit from *all* the telemetry features without having to take your eyes off the model.
It would add to the cost (about another $30 or so) but I'd like to hear from folks as to whether they'd find it worthwhile -- as a safety feature at the very least.
RCModelReviews.com, just the facts.