http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articl ... et-410473/

Looks like Google wants to sell drones so they are going to make a low cost ads-b out system.

If google can produce an approved low-cost ADS-B out box, more power to them! But as far as filling the skies with thousands of remotely-piloted UAV's.... not so much.

I like the idea of Google producing a ADS-B system but cannot imagine the GenX'ers dealing with the bureaucracy of the FAA. It will run them around the bend.

TD

TomD wrote:I like the idea of Google producing a ADS-B system but cannot imagine the GenX'ers dealing with the bureaucracy of the FAA. It will run them around the bend.

TD

Yeah, they're going to find that it's like trying to run a foot race in quicksand.

Cary

TomD wrote:I like the idea of Google producing a ADS-B system but cannot imagine the GenX'ers dealing with the bureaucracy of the FAA. It will run them around the bend.

TD

The Gen-Xers are in their 40s now. I think the fresh crop of post college kids are the "Millennials."

TomD wrote:I like the idea of Google producing a ADS-B system but cannot imagine the GenX'ers dealing with the bureaucracy of the FAA. It will run them around the bend.

TD

So, what will happen is what companies like Uber did to the cab companies... they'll ignore the rules, do what they want, file lawsuits, etc until the rules change. Maybe. We'll see.

UngaWunga wrote: So, what will happen is what companies like Uber did to the cab companies... they'll ignore the rules, do what they want, ..........

Not looking forward to that.Some UAV operators have already proven by running into hotel windows flying too high and/or too close to things that they don't give a shit about the rules . So I guess we can expect to see some UAV vs aircraft incidents, probably sooner rather than later.

Don't kid yourself. These young people were born into the bureaucracy, paperwork is a way of life. They will get along with the FAA way better than us dinosaurs.

gbflyer wrote:Don't kid yourself. These young people were born into the bureaucracy, paperwork is a way of life. They will get along with the FAA way better than us dinosaurs.

Mebbe--but there's no bureaucracy quite like the FAA, unless it's the VA. Look at how long it has been taking for Terrafugia and Icon to get their products through the maze. I don't see the feds bending just because it's Google and not some other avionics company. When it takes 2 years for Honeywell/Bendix/King to get a new lower cost ADS-B transponder to market, a company with amazing experience dealing with TSO certification, I can't imagine that Google will be able to do it with no such experience at all.

But if they can, then that might open some doors, so I wish them well--but I won't hold my breath.

Cary

http://generalaviationnews.com/2015/02/ ... 81e5-17986

Here's a gizmo by Navworx which ties into the existing transponder system which they claim will meet the mandate for ADS-B out. It includes an internal GPS receiver and has an introductory price of $699. Just what the doctor ordered! However, the write-up says it's only approved for LSA's & experimentals only, although they claim it's TSO'd. Hopefully this mandate will go away (doubtful), but the next best thing would be if more outfits come up with affordable solutions like this.

hotrod180 wrote:they claim it's TSO'd. Hopefully this mandate will go away (doubtful), but the next best thing would be if more outfits come up with affordable solutions like this.

It is not TSO'd,but they do claim it meets the performance requirements. Interfacing to legacy mode C transponders could save a lot of development and certification hassle. And it has a built-in position source.

This price is really down to earth, and reflects a minimal markup from costs. There are some slick DIY projects that are demonstrating compliant ADS-b in & out for ~$300 in retail parts costs and fabrication, with open source software. The software is very digestible and easy to understand, and there are claims that it runs well on a $8 ARM chip.

This is a unit costing only a little more, with full customer support, and it offers an open standard for serial and wifi out. All it needs is a remote antenna. One look at the cost of the equivalent TSO unit ($1700 more) says a bit about the burden of high certification costs (and the profits available with a barrier to market entry like that).

Let's hope we see 3-4 more entrants in this low-cost field soon, including Google. It will pull the TSO unit prices down in a hurry. If the FAA has some sense, they would look at making these units valid for certificated aircraft as well to meet their mandate goals.

http://www.flyingmag.com/avionics-gear/instrumentaccessories/ads-b-compliance-699-its-true-sort

GOOG posted net revenue of 66 BILLION dollars in 2014 (with a capital B). Up from $55b in 2013 and $46b in 2012.

If they want to TSO an ADSB piece of hardware they can poop it out of Larry's vegas gambling budget for a weekend and never miss the revenue.

Don't forget that they decided to rock the cell phone world and made it happen. But I don't think this is on much of their radar screen in terms of real business. It's probably a small crack at Amazon to enable drones to deliver packages or something to automate watching the autonomous cars that are surely coming down the pike.

soyAnarchisto wrote:GOOG posted net revenue of 66 BILLION dollars in 2014 (with a capital B). Up from $55b in 2013 and $46b in 2012.

If they want to TSO an ADSB piece of hardware they can poop it out of Larry's vegas gambling budget for a weekend and never miss the revenue.

Don't forget that they decided to rock the cell phone world and made it happen. But I don't think this is on much of their radar screen in terms of real business. It's probably a small crack at Amazon to enable drones to deliver packages or something to automate watching the autonomous cars that are surely coming down the pike.

This.

lesuther wrote:

hotrod180 wrote:they claim it's TSO'd. Hopefully this mandate will go away (doubtful), but the next best thing would be if more outfits come up with affordable solutions like this.

It is not TSO'd,but they do claim it meets the performance requirements. ........

You're correct. My bad, I misread "The new product is based on the Navworx ADS600B, which has received FAA TSO/STC certification".

Just googled up the Navworx website. The GA News story says the introductory price for the ADS600EXP is $699, the navworx site says $869. Hmmm.
Looks like the TSO'd version, ADS600B, starts at $2399. Not so affordable.

hotrod180 wrote:starts at $2399. Not so affordable.

Yes. The TSO version is still $1700 more. But it is nice to have the actual costs and profits on the non-TSO version to compare with the TSO version to lay bare the obvious problems in the mandate. Same components. Same performance. Same compliance. Crap tons more $$.