For several years (10+ at least) I have thought of and spoken to several about a piece of technology that would be very interesting to have. I labeled it humorously as "Bill's Magic Dot".
The idea: a small piece of electronics that you could easily attach to the model at the CG, and which would measure and record the X, Y and Z coordinates as a function of time. The sample rate would be ... something .... perhaps every tenth/hundredth/thousandth .... of a second. The name came from the idea that this would be about the size of a CR2032 battery, hence a "dot". It would gave a Velcro back, and the matching Velcro would be permanently attached to the model.
Once attached to the model, the flight would be made, the X, Y and Z coordinates recorded. At the conclusion of the flight, the dot would be taken to a computer with appropriate adapter, and the data downloaded for later use.
"Later use":
The first I could envision would be to help a pilot analyze his flight, to help in making his performance better. I know many stunt folks use a coach, and that is all well and good, but a coach suffers from the human frailties of limited perception and memory, as well as .... well, you know! :-) The data from the dot could be an "impartial observer".
The second use (I don't even want to go there! Please don't respond! It's another BOM issue!) would be to actually score the flight! (To repeat: Please don't respond! It's another BOM issue!).
I don't know how to build anything electronic if it requires more than a couple of wires, but it seems that with the current state of the art, micro-stuff controlling motors, gyros controlling flight paths, GPS receivers, etc., that perhaps something like this is now do-able.
Comments?
Regards,
Bill