Needed: Inexpensive AHRS module to work with Oudie, XCsoar, LK8000, etc...

All the recent threads on the danger of inadvertent VMC into IMC flight without proper instrumentation has highlighted what I think is a needed bit of kit for the modern glider (i.e. one that has some sort of PDA/PNA/nav display in it's cockpit: An inexpensive stand-alone AHRS module that would output continuous attitude information (pitch, roll, yaw, turn rate) which could be used by programs such as SeeYouMobile, XCsoar, and LK8000 to provide an instant-on useable attitude display, for those rare but dangerous times that a glider inadvertently gets stuck IMC (or for the Brits, when they want to do it!).

I'm thinking a nice BIG attitude screen showing pitch and roll, with a turnrate "needle/ball" at the bottom, and if possible, showing other data that the display device/software would know from other sources: airspeed, altitude, basic GPS nav info.

I would start with a basic AHRS MEMS module, add a small rechargeable battery to provide backup if the ownship power fails, and output the attitude data in NMEA via usb to the display device. Price point would be around $500 or less, and of course the software providers would need to integrate it.

We already spend a lot for FLARM, to cover a threat that is also relatively remote (mid-air collision). But not all of us want to drop the big bucks (or euros) for a Butterfly or S80 - and the price of stand-alone AHRS modules seems pretty low.

And at the risk of restarting the RAS-war about attitude indicators in contests, well, I think the cat is already out of the bag on that issue - but having the device add an "attitude on" or whatever flag on the logger trace should be sufficient, IMO.

Anyway, just thinking...

And if this already exists - please send me a link!

Kirk
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