Skybean Vario Manual Pdf SkyDrop User Guide
- June 10, 2024
- Skybean
Table of Contents
- Skybean Vario Manual Pdf SkyDrop User Guide
- SkyDrop – combined variometer
- buttons
- important note – please read
- description of functions
- power management
- technical specification
- package includes
- device update instructions
- important information
- FAQ / Troubleshooting
- contact information
- Skybean Vario Manual Pdf SkyDrop User Guide
- Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
- Download This Manual (PDF format)
Skybean Vario Manual Pdf SkyDrop User Guide
SkyDrop – combined variometer
main features
- analog/digital variometer – 0.1m/s accuracy
- 5 altimeters – 1m accuracy, real time refresh rate
- GPS recording – 1Hz sampling
- bluetooth & USB connectivity
- motion & environment sensors
- light weight & compact size – 68g, 98 x 58 x 20 mm
RGB LED – multicolor signal light
LCD – main interface display
buttons – user controls
buzzer – audio transducer
USB port – communication & charge interface screws – used for
assembly/disassembly
buttons
the middle button is used to confirm selection
- press & hold for 1s to turn on, pull up menu bar, move to upper level in menu, toggle widget value, start/stop flight stopwatch
- short press to confirm selection, list adjustable widgets on home screen, turn off if menu bar is pulled up
- press & hold for 5s to turn device off
the left arrow button is used for left move
- short press to scroll between home screens to the left, select widget menu if menu bar is pulled up, scroll up in menu, lower value during setting parameter
- press & hold to rapid value lowering
the right button is used for right move
- short press to scroll between home screens to the right, select settings menu if menu bar is pulled up, scroll down in menu, raise value during setting parameter
- press & hold to rapid value raising
important note – please read
SkyDrop is in silent mode after start-up, so if you want to hear acoustic feedback, please blow/suck shortly to/from buzzer grid. This feature will help you to be polite to others before take-off. Of course, sound is enabled automatically just after take-off. To disable this function, please uncheck Logger suppress audio checkbox.
operation of the SkyDrop variometer
During startup animation, firmware version in bottom left and hardware
revision in bottom right corner are shown. The device will start on the last
used home screen. You can scroll between home screens by pressing the left or
the right arrows. If adjustable/switchable widgets are on current home screen,
you can press middle button to scroll between them. If adjustable widget is
highlighted, you can change its value by arrow buttons. If switchable widget
is highlighted, you can toggle its state by long press of the middle button.
To enter widget or settings menu, you need to pull up the menu bar from the
bottom of any home screen by long press of the middle button, until menu bar
appears. After that, you can enter into widget menu by pressing the left arrow
button, or enter into settings menu pressing the right arrow button, or you
can turn off the device by short press of the middle button again.
multi-color light signalization
- yellow light – device is flashed with new firmware
- red light – device is charging
- green light – device is fully charged
- red flash – battery is less than 20%
- yellow flash – searching for GPS fix
- green flash – GPS 3D fix is reached
- cyan flash – bluetooth is enabled, but not connected
- blue flash – bluetooth is enabled & connected
widget menu
Change widgets selection allow to assign different widget options on current
home screen. Use arrow buttons to scroll between fields on the screen, use
middle button to select field for widget change, which will be chosen from
widget list in next step. Several widgets are adjustable (e.g. altimeter
widgets Alt) or can enable/disable specific function can be toggled (e.g. beep
or weak).
You can chose from following widgets:
vario bar shown graphically value of analog vario, each step represents
1m/s. The vario bar increases from middle to top when vario shows 0 to 3 m/s,
then decreases from middle to top when vario shows 3 to 6 m/s. The bar shows
sinking the same way, so the total range of vario bar is -6 to 6 m/s.
vario shows value of digital variometer.
AVG vario (Avg on LCD) shows averaged digital variometer during time
period set in Average vario integration int. vario history shown graphically
relative vario value during time period set in Average vario integration int.
weeklift ON/OFF (weak on LCD) switch on/off attention to light thermal
(<1m/s) around.
audio ON/OFF ( beep on LCD) can be toggled by long press to mute/unmute
vario sound.
altitude (Alt on LCD) shows altimeter (1 – 5) value. This widget can be
adjusted.
ground speed (GSpd on LCD) shows ground speed obtained from GPS receiver.
glide ratio ( Glide on LCD) shows ratio between actual ground speed and
sinking rate.
GPS heading (GHdg on LCD) shows heading obtained from GPS receiver.
GPS heading Arrow shows graphically heading obtained from GPS receiver –
north is up.
GPS position (GPos on LCD) shows GPS coordinates obtained from GPS
receiver.
flight time (FTime on LCD) shows stopwatch of current flight. You can
manually start/stop this stopwatch by long press the middle button when
highlighted.
time shows actual clock in current time zone. date shows actual date.
battery shows remaining battery power in %.
temperature (Temp on LCD) shows air temperature and humidity. empty
leaves current field empty.
Change layou t entry in widget menu allows to change widget layout on
current home screen. You can chose from following options. Pages count entry defines number of home screens (1 to 5). You
can adjust all screens, layouts and widgets easily through online drag&drop
configurator at
vps.skybean.eu/configurator
description of functions
Vario lift/sink threshold defines the vertical speed value when sound is activated (in 0.1m/s steps). Vario fluid audio allows sound tone change during actual beep. Vario weak lift enables continuous sound before lift threshold is reached to let pilot know “something is in the air” (in 0.1m/s steps). Digital vario integration int. suppress very fast vario changes and makes displayed digital vario value more stable (in 0.1s steps; this is not affecting vario bar graph or sound output). Average vario integration int. defines time used to compute average vario value, used for overall thermal power overview (in 0.1s steps). Vario units setting allows metric or imperial format modes. Vario demo can simulate device behavior to achieve desired settings (in 0.1m/s steps). Altimeter mode can by absolute related to QNH1 or QNH2, relative to other altimeter (with offset adjustable though home screen widget), or following GPS altitude. Altimeter zero at takeoff checkbox in altimeter relative mode set altimeter value to zero right after takeoff (automatic or manual). Altimeter units setting allows metric or imperial format modes. Altimeter get from GPS sets altimeter value equal to GPS altitude. If in QNH dependent mode, this choice will change also QNH value. In relative mode QNH value stays, just offset is changed. Note: Altimeter value is based on atmospheric pressure, which varies during weather changes, therefore altimeter should be calibrated prior to takeoff. Altimeter calibrating can be done by entering the known altitude of location or setting the known QNH value valid for current area or get from stabilized GPS value (GPS altitude is changing slower within fast altitude changes, so it can take some time for stabilization, usually several minutes). Logger enabled checkbox enables or disables GPS tracking. Logger format of output file can be chosen IGC or KML. Logger state can be waiting for takeoff, flying or landed.
Logger start / land threshold defines altitude change needed for takeoff/landing detection (in ±1m steps). Long press middle button when FTime widget is highlighted to manual start/stop flight time stopwatch. Logger timeout is count down time used for landing detection if altitude stays within defined interval (in seconds). Logger suppress audio checkbox mutes the device when waiting for takeoff, so launch area is not saturated by random mix of annoying sounds generated by many waiting varios. GPS enable checkbox enables/disables onboard GPS receiver (significant for battery power). GPS status shows ratio of fixed/available satellites. GPS time shows actual GMT time obtained from GPS receiver. GPS date shows actual date obtained from GPS receiver. GPS speed units, used for ground speed widget GSpd, can be chosen from – m/s, km/h, mph or knots. GPS format of coordinates can be chosen from – DD.dddddd, DDº MM.mmmʹ or DDº MMʹ SSʺ. Bluetooth module shows used type onboard. Bluetooth enabled checkbox enables/disables bluetooth function (using this function significant for battery power). Bluetooth protocol selection changes devices communication between protocols (apps) – DigiFly (XCSoar), LK8EX1 (XCtrack), BlueFly (FlyMe) or SkyBean. SkyDrop SPP Bluetooth device must be chosen when pairing with your phone or tablet. Bluetooth forward GPS checkbox will enable forwarding GPS coordinates to connected device, so there is possibility to turn off its internal GPS receiver to save power. Time item in settings menu allow adjust on-board clock. Date item in settings menu allow adjust on-board date. Time zone entry is useful with GMT time obtained from GPS receiver to set correct local time. DST checkbox means daylight saving time option if applicable. Sync with GPS checkbox allows to get accurate time from GPS. Display contrast adjustment tunes LCD screen contrast.
Display backlight adjustment controls backlight level (in 20% steps). Display backlight timeout defines time interval after last button press when backlight remains turned on. Invert display checkbox switch dark and empty pixels on LCD. Flip orientation checkbox turn over LCD screen, so SkyDrop can be operated in upside-down position. Animation checkbox enables smooth switching between home screens. Vario volume adjust vario sound level (in 10% steps). Vario mute checkbox switch off beeping of vario. This can be also done by beep widget. Alert volume adjustment set sound level of pop-up info messages. Menu volume adjustment set sound levels of menu sounds. On/Off sound checkbox play sound at startup or switching off. Page sound checkbox informs which home screen is currently selected by 1 to 5 fast beeps. Button sound checkbox enables beep when any buttons is pressed. GPS ready checkbox play sound when GPS 3D fix is achieved. Mass storage checkbox will switch device from active to PC mode after charger connection (do not use while charging during flight). Auto power-off entry defines time to automatic switch-off of device, if no operation occurred. Auto power-off cannot occur during flight. Uart function can be used for data streaming by UART interface. User can choose from several baud rates – 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600 or 115200. UART is using same protocol as Bluetooth. Debug msg. option runs at baud rate 921600 and is used for development. Format SD function will erase and format inserted micro SD card – recommended if any mass storage connection problem occurs. Debug log checkbox activates log records used for debugging and can be checked if technical support ask for it. There are some other service information in debug menu.
power management
Since SkyDrop is portable device with rechargeable Li-Poly battery onboard, it needs time to time recharge its battery. You can use any micro USB wall charger or another USB host device, even another portable device with active OTG function.
technical specification
- weight & dimensions – 68g, 98 x 58 x 20 mm (3.8″ x 2.3″ x 0.8″)
- pressure sensor – MS5611-01BA03, 10cm resolution, -1400 to 25000 m altitude (-4600 to 82000 feet)
- GPS receiver – L80M39 22/68 channel, position <2.5m CEP, velocity accuracy <0.1m/s, sensitivity -165dBm
- IMU sensor unit – LSM9DS0
- humidity & temperature sensor – SHT21
- Bluetooth transceiver – PAN1026, 2.1 SPP, BLE 4.0
- USB interface – micro USB 2.0, device only
- battery – 900 mAh, charging current max. 500 mA
- buzzer – magnetic transducer 95 dB @ 10cm
- operation temperature range – device -40 to 85 ºC (-40 to 185 ºF), battery -40 to 45 ºC (-40 to 113 ºF), LCD -20 to 45 (-4 to 158 ºF)
- power consumption – depends on activated functions.
Several operation modes are listed:
- audio mode onl: 13h
- audio + altitude logger, without GPS : 12h
- audio + Bluetooth: 10h
- audio + GPS logger: 9h
- audio + GPS logger + Bluetoot: 7.5h
package includes
SkyDrop variometer with strap, raiser mount, USB cable, stickers, user guide.
device update instructions
Watch video tutorial on SkyBean YouTube channel youtube.com/c/SkyBeanVarios or follow these instructions:
- Download update file from SkyBean webpage or repository vps.skybean.eu/repo/updates the last folder contains the newest firmware version.
- Connect SkyDrop (powered off) to the computer via micro USB cable.
- Wait until USB mode is enabled and device folder will show in computer.
- Copy file SKYDROP.FW to the device. File name must stay exactly the same, so be careful if you download the file multiple times.
- Eject the device from system toolbar or just unplug from PC.
- Follow instruction on LCD and confirm update, SkyDrop LED will lid yellow during the update.
Please note, this update procedure will reset all settings to default factory state. If you want to save your specific settings, please update through online configurator at vps.skybean.eu/configurator. Alternatively you can find other advanced information or recently solved software issues on our GitHub account github.com/fhorinek/SkyDrop
important information
By purchasing this device user agrees with terms and conditions of device operation. SkyDrop variometer is not designed for flying under instrument flight rules (IFR) in any case. Manufacturer is not responsible for any accidents or injuries caused by reliance on information provided by SkyDrop variometer. We highly recommend to use both velcro and safety strap when flying with SkyDrop. Security strap is not a regular mount. However we did our best to protect device against destruction during water landing, it is not guaranteed and warranty will void. If device is broken of any reason, do not hesitate and contact us to solve it.
FAQ / Troubleshooting
If there is something wrong with the device or if you need more detailed
explanation of any function, please visit our FAQ section at skybean.eu/page
/skydrop-frequently-asked-questions
If you cannot find the answer, do not hesitate to contact us via email or
Facebook.
contact information
email:
info@skybean.eu
website:
skybean.eu
facebook page:
facebook.com/varioskybean
Skybean Vario Manual Pdf SkyDrop User Guide
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