New Aircraft Display Methods.

Early (but cumbersome) Aircraft control.

Initially, the way that aircraft movements were to be controlled was via an array of standard input boxes (see picture above) where the flightplan was prepared by selecting a starting point then inputting a selection of altitudes, length of time in minutes and seconds at that altitude, then selecting the heading and speed. Finally, the object that we wished to move was selected and if necessary the flight plan was named and saved. The number of frames that were needed for the sequence in total was then displayed.

Computer Display Panel.

(pic 1.)

As the modern home computer has the facility to accept inputs from joysticks and buttons on its game port, it would be more prudent to use a traditional method for flying model aircraft, suitably connected to the computer via a cable.

Standard Model Aircraft Control Unit.

(pic 2a.)

The above unit was discarded as there was little room for the miniature potentiometers.

(Rear of panel. Note wiring.)

(Front of control unit. Throttle and rudder are left, Ailerons and Elevators on right with the aircraft brakes being the small switch nearest top-left of panel.)

Display Panel Development.

In the Display Panel left-opposite (pic 1.) development is in an early stage and thus far the display (centre column Attitude Indicator at top and bottom being the Compass) and also the Altimeter, top right have been completed. The next stages for these controls are the mathematical transformations of values as the aircraft's attitude changes. The map below the display panel is a continually scrolling window and will show the geographic location of the aircraft, which will always be centered in the map. The data will be continually output as a file to be used as a flying routine.

Notices