Why fly a HAB Pilot Balloon Flight Computer?
Because the HAB Pilot is the easiest and cheapest way to add altitude control capabilities to your next balloon flight.
It seamless integrates with the other Loonatec HAB Modules to vent lift gas, drop ballast, and terminate flights. While also providing world-wide command and telemetry via a satellite communication link to your computer.
The hardware is proven. It has been successfully used to controlled latex and zero-pressure plastic balloons flights. It offers redundant safeguards to protect against potential issues during the flight.
How to control the HAB Pilot Balloon Flight Computer?
The HAB Pilot uses GroundControls’s Iridium SBD interface to send and receive messages. Loonatec’s Mission Control software runs on MacOS, Windows, and Linux. It uses a simple interface to display relevant data and send commands. It automatically creates and updates a CSV data file for later reference and a KML file that can be used as a “Network Link” to provide real-time plotting in Google Earth Pro desktop.
The HAB Pilot can also be controlled by pre-configured commands that activate based on gps, pressure, time, accelerations, and other onboard data streams. One of the most common uses of this is to set a geofence before the flight that ensures your payload never drifts to undesirable locations. Even if you become inattentive on long-duration flights. These commands activate the built-in flight termination hardware or send commands to a HAB Module.
How do I attach a HAB Module to the HAB Pilot?
The first step is to decide if you want the HAB Module to be connected by a wired or wireless connection. The wired connection is ideal for short distances such as where both devices are together in your gondola and you need RF silence. The wireless connection is ideal where the hardware is strung out along the flight train. Such as between a venter on top of the balloon and the flight computer below the parachute with your payload.
The second step is to add the HAB Module to the HAB Pilot’s Flight.cfg file. This tells the HAB Pilot how to communicate with the HAB Module(s). Including how frequently to query the module’s status. And whether or not to configure the HAB Module’s watchdog timer to provide redundant flight termination.
Can I fly the HAB Pilot without an Iridium Satellite Modem?
Yes, the HAB Pilot can be flown as a stand-alone flight computer that relies solely on pre-configured commands to control the flight. This includes activating the attached HAB Module(s).
