Logger Balloon Live

About Balloon Live App the Official Balloon Live Website says:

The Balloon Live project started in 2018 as a follow-up project to replace the FAI Balloon Competition Loggers introduced in 2009 by the New Technology Subcommittee of the FAI Ballooning Commission. The project has a larger scope. It replaces the existing loggers by a mobile app and an additional sensor box to guarantee a constant and equal quality of the position (GPS) and altitude (GPS and barometric) measurements. Additionally the live transmission of the data becomes reality and opens a lot of new possibilities for live coverage and tracking of the competition. Watchmefly.net is an essential part of the project as platform for data recording, visualisation and scoring. 

 

About Balloon Live
The app

 

The application is the official FAI Balloon Live competition logger app.

The app is used in hot air balloon competition and has the following features:

  • 2 app modes: training and competition
  • Flight recording with Start/Stop functionality
  • up to 8 different electronic marker drops
  • up to 8 goal declaration slots
  • recording in IGC-file format
  • export as IGC-file
  • Automatic flight resume on app restart (after force close)
  • Background mode when flight is started
  • Connection to external GPS box (available later)

In competition mode:

  • Synchronisation of competition settings and flight data from watchmefly.net
  • Live tracks to watchmefly.net

 

iOS Screenshots:


       

 

 

Android Screenshots:

        

 

Balloon Live Sensor


The Balloon Live Sensor (BLS) was developed in 2019 and 2020. The sensor closes the gap of the Balloon Live App running on many different phones and the need for precise GPS and barometric measurements. This is done using an external sensor that connects to the app. The design is based on a previous Volirium (Flytec Balloon) product named Sensbox, but is now upgraded to the latest state of technology and extended with functions needed for Balloon Live. The whole design (eletronics, firmware and testing infrastructure) was done by Marc André as volunteer work. The production is done by Volirium (Flytec Balloon). This is an exciting next step for Balloon Live!

The sensor uses Bluetooth low energy to connect to the Balloon Live App. It uses a custom protocol that also includes signing of the data. Each device has its own signature key. On request of the pilots we have added an additional classic Bluetooth connection so that multiple devices such as a laptops can connect and get the same data as the Balloon Live App. USB will be available as an alternative interface.

The sensor is powered by an internal LiPo battery which has approximately 20h runtime. The sensor comes with Flytec’s quality altitude and variometer sensing (@8Hz) and a state of the art GPS receiver (@5Hz) that supports all common GNSS standards. The device also stores all tracks on a SD card for backup. The small display shows the status and minimal information.

Watchmefly.net

 

Watchmefly.net is the main Balloon Live website for managing competitions and tracks. All recorded tracks in the Balloon Live app are stored on watchmefly.net. With this, watchmefly.net can offer:

Pilot dashboard

Login as a pilot and have an overview of your past and upcoming competitions. Find your personal token/code to register your Balloon Live app to a competition and download all your recorded tracks directly on your personal profile page.

Competition management

Competition officials can manage competition details, pilot list, flight and task settings, official noticeboard, measuring reports and download all recorded tracks immediately after landing.

Watchmefly.net has a lot more to offer.

For pilots:

  • Create pilot account with your own profile
  • View competition flight and task information
  • Manage your own flights and logger tracks
  • Upload and share your flight details

For competition officials:

  • Show your event in the calendar of all events
  • Publish your information and documents on an electronic noticeboard
  • Publish a pilot list with link to their personal profile
  • Create flights and tasks
  • Manage the configuration of the Balloon Live app
  • Use the online measuring report to publish results in realtime
  • Manage measuring officials access
  • Give scorers access to download the tracks
  

Feature tour

Watch a demonstration of all the new features that have been released on WatchMeFly, including Competitions, the Competition Center, the Measure Tool and the FAI Balloon Live app.

 

Please check also:

“How to use” – guides

FAQ- General Questions

 

All information were used from website - https://balloonlive.org/