Tile App - Find Your Gear?

[Bluhdow 31]

http://www.thetileapp.com/

Awhile back there was a thread about ways to track canopies (and maybe even the smaller parts like reserve PCs and bags) after a cutaway. Lost gear sucks, and a solution would be nice.

Anyone know much about this? Seems promising, though I don't have the rigging knowledge (or product knowledge about the app) to know for sure.

Edit: 50-150 feet...that could be the Achilles heel here. If I'm within 50 feet of my gear, I can see it. If nothing else, maybe this just shows that the technology will be there someday soon.

Edit 2:

"The range from your phone is 50 - 150ft depending on the environment. However, if any other Tile user's phone is within 50 - 150ft of your Tile, you will receive an update with the location of your Tile. When this happens, you will see a pin on the map view for your Tile. This essentially makes the range limitless once there are enough Tile users in your area"

Might still work if you've got friends!

Apex BASE
#1816

[uhuru10 0]

Here is a thread on tracking cutaways:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=4314023;search_string=tracking%20cutaways;#4314023

IIRC the Tile App can only track items within 50ft. I did see it in one of the threads about 10 months ago, and it did not sound like a plausible solution.

EDIT: clicky link

[indyz 1]

Bluhdow

If I'm within 50 feet of my gear, I can see it. If nothing else, maybe this just shows that the technology will be there someday soon.

That depends on where you jump. Several times I've had a spotter in an aircraft give me directions to a canopy that I couldn't see until I was practically standing on it.

[ChrisD 0]

Bluhdow

http://www.thetileapp.com/

Awhile back there was a thread about ways to track canopies (and maybe even the smaller parts like reserve PCs and bags) after a cutaway. Lost gear sucks, and a solution would be nice.

Anyone know much about this? Seems promising, though I don't have the rigging knowledge (or product knowledge about the app) to know for sure.

Edit: 50-150 feet...that could be the Achilles heel here. If I'm within 50 feet of my gear, I can see it. If nothing else, maybe this just shows that the technology will be there someday soon.

Edit 2:

"The range from your phone is 50 - 150ft depending on the environment. However, if any other Tile user's phone is within 50 - 150ft of your Tile, you will receive an update with the location of your Tile. When this happens, you will see a pin on the map view for your Tile. This essentially makes the range limitless once there are enough Tile users in your area"

Might still work if you've got friends!

This thing has some promise, or the idea sounds "economically feasible," I wish some one would try it??? I mean stick one to a streamer or something and throw it out over the woods and see if it does help.

I have to somewhat disagree with ya about the finding your canopy if it's only 50 feet away or so. C

But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump."

[davelepka 4]

Quote

The same applies at someplace like Kansas or similar when the corn is growing, unless you see it from the air, you literally can't find anything from the ground until your within 2 feet of it!!!

Yep. Corn eats gear like there's no tomorrow. It's hard enough to get yourself out 8ft high corn, let alone finding anything that landed there. I'm not saying that this tech in the OP is workable, just that 100ft range could really simplify the idea of a grid search in a corn field.

[Hellis 0]

How big intrest is there in such a device for the main canopy?
I have been thinking of starting to build something you can track the main with, but I'm not sure there is enough potential buyers.

I think I have found a company that can build the device, have not yet contacted them.
As I see it the biggest issue is the batterytime, how little batterytime would be "ok"?

[mcordell 2]

You would just be building something that has already been invented, offered for sale, and ultimately failed because of lack of interest. I think it was called paratelemetry....George Galloway invented it I think

www.facebook.com/FlintHillsRigging

[Southern_Man 0]

Hellis

How big intrest is there in such a device for the main canopy?
I have been thinking of starting to build something you can track the main with, but I'm not sure there is enough potential buyers.

I think I have found a company that can build the device, have not yet contacted them.
As I see it the biggest issue is the batterytime, how little batterytime would be "ok"?

It all comes down to the price point. At the right price point I think it could have large interest but I think it is hard to design a device at that price point (along w/ the battery issue).

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[Hellis 0]

I believe you are both correct.

The big issue is that the device already excist.
However nobody uses them, why is that?

I believe it's because non of the, probably thousands, of devices already on the market is because non of them is directed towards skydiving.
All of them have something working against them.
Could be size, weight, batterytime, range, ease of use, etc.

What's in common with most (if not all) of them is the mounting problems.
They all are associated with "you could probably...".
And for most of the skydivers that's not good enough.

What you need is a design that makes it easy to mount (preferably by a rigger), easy to turn on even if it's packed inside the gear, ok batterytime, a range that means you can find it easily, waterresistant.

And then to an ok price.

Most skydivers probably don't cut away more than once a year or maybe even every other year, is it worth it?

It's a very though equation...

[Hellis 0]

Rental gear and student gear might be a place were there could be a market.

[rifleman 70]

IMO there's also a risk of a damaged battery leaking potentially corrosive chemicals onto valuable equipment.

Atheism is a Non-Prophet Organisation

[Hellis 0]

Correct.

But in my opinion, having it on main only you will probably notice it time and you can "inspect" it at every jump.
Unlike the AAD battery, which if it leaks, could damage your last chance.
Yet there is no worries about that?

[mark 107]

Offered as an option on Plexus Tandem: http://www.plexustandem.com/fido-user.html

Mark

[ChrisD 0]

Mark, How much is this fido thing in US cash? That looks nice as well.! thanks,...

Hellis

Correct.

But in my opinion, having it on main only you will probably notice it time and you can "inspect" it at every jump.
Unlike the AAD battery, which if it leaks, could damage your last chance.
Yet there is no worries about that?

It's my understanding that for 25 us bucks you can purchase two of these tiles? and you must have a blue tooth phone?

Why doesn't someone just try this out in the woods?

Just a thought?

I mean we could wrap the thing in a bit of plastic, if you thought the thing was going to leak? I don't know? I mean it almost looks like it would snug right into the space between the front and rear risers? Don't have a clue if this would affect safety or not?

C

But what do I know, "I only have one tandem jump."

[Southern_Man 0]

Hellis

Correct.

Unlike the AAD battery, which if it leaks, could damage your last chance.
Yet there is no worries about that?

It has happened before...

"What if there were no hypothetical questions?"

[nigelh 0]

Unfortunately it's Apple only at the moment and I'm an Android user.
Growth will certainly increase once they open it up to other devices, looks like Bluetooth 4.0 is the reason it's only iOS right now.

But I'd be willing to gamble $20 and have one of these stitched into a pocket on my Freebag, people here usually have an idea of where it landed so cycling or driving around looking for a signal wouldn't be too much hassle

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Sponored by NZ Aerosports, CYPRES 2, Tonfly & L&B

Team Dirty Sanchez #232

[nigelh 0]

It's now available for Android

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Sponored by NZ Aerosports, CYPRES 2, Tonfly & L&B

Team Dirty Sanchez #232

[stayhigh 2]

Why put it on your freebag? That only costs 150 bucks.

I would put it on my main-d bag. That thing is attached to 1500 bucks, and you can inspect it for damage/leak every time when you pack.

Bernie Sanders for President 2016

[nigelh 0]

Working in the sport if I can find my freebag and get back in the air quicker it'll be more convenient

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Sponored by NZ Aerosports, CYPRES 2, Tonfly & L&B

Team Dirty Sanchez #232

[DougH 270]

If you can find one, it will help a lot in finding the other. They should be in a line down the wind line on days where the uppers are in a consistent direction.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[nigelh 0]

I know how to find kit, if you're surrounded by nice big freshly mown fields then yeah it can be pretty easy,
But I'm jumping right on the edge of a town, and my last 3 cutaways have resulted in my kit floating away in to town,
fortunately for me I have always got my kit back, but I know of many people that have lost theirs.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Sponored by NZ Aerosports, CYPRES 2, Tonfly & L&B

Team Dirty Sanchez #232