An interview with GPS Boomerang Founder, Synco Reynders as seen on the 6pm News on TV3 (6 Feb 2006).
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The DataBird-300 making final turn as it's coming to land.
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The DataBird-300 on final approach to landing.
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The DataBird-300 passing overhead as it circles to lose height.
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3D visualisation of a short flight returning to the launch site (release altitude was 2.4km). The points represent 1 minute intervals, giving a total flight time of 30 minutes. It is colourised by altitude although user sensor data could be used.
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This flight demonstrates how the DataBird can fly to waypoints, yet not comprimising a safe landing. In this example the DataBird after release heads downwind to the first waypoint circles until it reaches the altitude of 5km, before heading to the second waypoint. It keeps going until it gets low on altitude so turns around and lands at the near by landing site.
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Flight Summary
Ascended for 29min at 3.7m/s average,
Release at 7002m (msl) due to ALTITUDE condition, (9.0km from Launch site).
Flying time of 60min (average descent rate of 1.8m/s).
Landed 62m from site.
A typical launch to the stratosphere in perfect conditions.
Download short video of the launch (591KB)
A typical landing. The DataBird is not easy to see at more than 100m away with the naked eye.
Download short video of a landing (1.2 MB)
An early prototype being launched at the Lauder research station using a hydrogen balloon (hence the protective flash-jacket).
Download high-res image (677 kB)
Download short video of the launch (182 kB)
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