FlightBox ADS-B Receiver Kit by Open Flight Solutions on Kickstarter for $200!

By on January 25, 2016
Pin It

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/251459606/flightbox-ads-b-receiver-kit

Open Flight Solution opened a Kickstarter campaign about its new ADS-B product and reached nearly the 200% funding in few days.

If you’re a pilot, chances are pretty good that you’ve heard about ADS-B. You probably know that an ADS-B receiver can make flying safer and more efficient by providing real-time weather, traffic, TFRs, and other flight data to your Apple or Android tablet. You probably also know that all of the ADS-B receivers on the market are really expensive. That’s about to change.

FlightBox is an ADS-B receiver based on the incredibly popular Stratux open source project. FlightBox is built from off-the-shelf hardware and free software, making it much less expensive than proprietary ADS-B receivers. FlightBox costs as little as $150 and offers the same features as competing products costing as much as $1000.

FlightBox is offered as a “quick-build” kit. The kit can be assembled in less than five minutes using nothing more than a phillips screwdriver and a pair of pliers. The software comes pre-loaded – no computer required. You simply make a few connections, put the cover on, and you’re ready to fly.

FlightBox supports all of the most popular aviation apps. So far we have confirmed operation with:

  • ForeFlight (iOS)
  • WingX Pro (iOS, Android)
  • FlyQ EFB (iOS)
  • DroidEFB (Android)
  • iFlyGPS (iOS, Android)
  • Avare (Android)
  • Naviator (Android)
  • AvNav (Android)

ADS-B Traffic

FlightBox is available as either a single-band or dual-band system. The single-band version is able to receive traffic data directly from aircraft equipped with 978 MHz (UAT) ADS-B Out, and also re-broadcast traffic provided by ADS-B ground stations. Dual-band systems add the ability to receive traffic data directly from aircraft equipped with 1090-ES transponders. Traffic data includes the identity (call sign or tail number) of the target, their location, distance, heading, and speed.

Open Source

FlightBox is built on the power of open source. Open source is a collaborative development method that leverages the expertise of a community of volunteers to create software or hardware. Open source has a number of advantages over proprietary development. Cost is the most obvious, but others include community support, faster bug fixes, and fewer flaws due to a much broader review of the code.

Open Flight Solutions is dedicated to the idea that open source and open standards can reduce the cost of aviation while enhancing safety. We are actively participating in the Stratux project and will continue to do so. We have budgeted $10 from each FlightBox sale for reinvestment in the Stratux project. This will go towards continued development, testing, and project infrastructure.

In The Box

Each FlightBox kit will include:

  • Custom rugged case
  • Raspberry Pi Model 2 B computer
  • Pre-loaded Class 10 data card
  • Edimax Wifi interface module
  • NooElec SDR receiver module(s)
  • WAAS GPS module
  • Antenna adapter cables (aka pigtails)
  • Custom ADS-B whip antenna(s)
  • High power USB cable
  • Assembly and user’s guide

More details on the Kickstarter page.

About Staff

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *