Why have a HUD in an Experimental Aircraft?

A HUD enhances safety by providing critical flight information in the visual (Heads-Up Outside the Aircraft) pilot environment

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•Typical aircraft HUD displays:  

• Airspeed, Altitude, Attitude (pitch/roll), a Horizon Line, Heading, Vertical Velocity, Angle of Attack, and Slip/Skid indicator

•  Boresight/waterline symbol

•  Flight Path Vector (FPV, also called Velocity Vector)

•  G’s, QNH, Wind Dir/Speed, & OAT

•  Critical Traffic Data > Nearby ADSB Tgt Display Circle (TD Box InWork) 

•  Navigation (CDI/VDI),etc/& Comm Data for Departure, Cruise and Arrival phases of flight

•  Critical Aircraft and Engine Data

•  Our HUD functions now include a Fun "BFM" mode

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The OnSpeed HUD Project provides "FREE" User Supported (Shareware) Raspberry Pi HUD Software hosted on Google Drive and GITHUB supporting the Following Experimental Aircraft Avionics Systems;

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•Serial EFIS data from MGL, Garmin G3x, Dynon Skyview & D100, and now Grand Rapids

•Aircraft + ADSB data via WIFI from Stratux, iLevil BOM, iLevil 3, uAvionix Echo/PING UAT, Dual XGPS190, Dynon ADSB wifi, etc.

•Users can use the software As Is or build custom EFIS or HUD screens

Steps:  

1.   Read this Web Page,  and watch the Videos and checkout the Web Links below

2.   Checkout the attached OnSpeed, XREAL, & Epic Optix Briefings below. 

3.   Decide if you want to use OnSpeed Raspberry Pi CPU software or the Epic Optix GDU

4.   Follow the instructions below to download the free RaspBerryPi HUD software loading instructions and ready to run SD memory card Software Image below.

To learn to program our Raspberry Pi HUD CPU software create (If you don't have one already) a GitHub account (Free). 

5.   If you want to start modifying our HUD software on your own then Log into https://github.com/flyonspeed/TronView

6.   Download instructions for setting up Rasp-PI (See Shopping List Below)

7.   Perform a “git pull” to download current HUD programs

8.   Select HUD program to use (test with sample HUD Data)

9.   If your ready to help advance our shareware HUD program coordinate with Chris and myself.

 

HUD/HMD OnSpeed Project Discussion

 

  Our FlyOnSpeed HUD project continues to make progress. We have several flying systems and continue to add new system interfaces.  All Software Interfaces work well (but not all EFIS systems publish the same serial data via RS232).  We currently recommend using the new Raspberry PI 5 micro-processor to support its improved Graphics processing throughput providing 30+ frames/second (FPS).  This HUD software supports multiple streams of real time aircraft data both wired and WIFI data.  The included picture is the EpicOptix being tested with MGL EFIS data.

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  The system basic operation starts by connecting your EFIS or other integrated data source via a RS232 to TTL converter (115k Baud) and/or WIFI to a Raspberry PI 5 (4/8GB) micro-computer.  The Raspberry PI then processes this data using our OnSpeed HUD software and provides the graphics display with HDMI video output.  The Video drives your HUD or a 2nd cockpit display. We have been flight testing with the Epic0ptix HUD for over two years, and are have started testing the new XREAL AR Glasses.  To accelerate our project EpicOptix has reduced the price of their HUD from $2,000 to $1,500 to help support getting HUD's into the General Aviation community.  

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  Epic Optix also sells their own proprietary GDU (Graphics Display Unit) as shown in their Oshkosh brief attached below.  This GDU has some advanced software development also using the Eagle 2 HUD but its display is not user changeable, and it currently will not display NAV information to include approach (Lateral/Vertical) guidance even though it can accept ARINC data from several IFR avionics systems.  OnSpeed hopes we can work with Epic Optix to expand their GDU functionality to include this information. 

 

  Additionally we have several “HUDLY Classic” HUD's which we can sell for $400 (if anybody wants one of these contact me) which I think also work well.  We have figured out how to feed the HUDLY projector with 12VDC directly bypassing most all the original and cumbersome HUDLY wiring that came with the system originally designed as a Car HUD.

 

  The inflight HUD pictures below were taken in my RV8 using a special iPhone manual infinity focus mode.  And while it does show the HUD display it doesn't show the real HUD as seen by the pilot due to the difficulties in using an electronic camera and an electronic HUD projection that causes continuous horizontal lines to slowly move in a downward motion.  Same as seen by the miniature video camera mounted on the HUD.    None of this can been seen by the pilot.  The pilot see's a very bright (totally sunlight readable) perfectly focused to infinity HUD graphics picture fully across the combining glass, and displayed with all the color graphics as it was designed.  The selected colors are still subject to the background world as viewed through the HUD, so the HUD design must use Colors and Bold Fonts as needed to insure it can be seen in all expected environments.  Additionally the EpicOptix HUD has a fully dimmable Night Mode as you would want from an aircraft quality avionics system.

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          Augmented Reality Glass Technology used as Head Mounted Display (HMD)

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​ ​​  XREAL Glasses with Headset                            Simple Video Camera Head Tracker                 XREAL AR "Smart" Glasses ​

 

​​​​   Taking a picture of the HMD HUD with near infinity focused graphics inside the Glasses Frame is near impossible, the 2 less than perfect focused pictures below were just lucky shots.  The HUD display is perceived as a 135" diagonal screen some 12 feet in front of the pilot.  The AR XREAL HUD gives the pilot a clear outside the aircraft view, but also provides HUD graphics that are clear, bright and readable in sunlight, perfectly focused, and easily understood.   

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   Our new HUD Option!  We have started experimenting with a wearable AR (Augmented Reality) HMD using the XREAL Air 2 Pro AR Glasses. These AR Glasses provide a more economical way to equip your aircraft with a full HUD display requiring no permanent and more expensive equipment to install.  They provide a Wearable HUD type display providing a full color 1920 x 1280 pixel display, a high frame rate (up to 120 HZ), 3-levels of Electrochromic Dimming, a very light weight 75g (<3 oz's), and have a 46 degree field of view HUD projection (much more than the 6x12 degree EPIC HUD FOV).  The HUD display is currently fixed in the glasses and allows the pilot to see the full instrument panel, cockpit switches, and outside the aircraft along with all the data presented in the HUD display. This means you see the same HUD graphics no matter which way your head is turned, but we are working on a Raspberry Pi supported Head Tracker that would allow for a more complete virtual HUD presentation.  The HUD appears like it is floating in space in front of your eyes and out in front of your aircraft.  We will provide a Software (function key) option to quickly turn off the HUD graphics, and the glasses also have a On/Off switch along the lower right rim, additionally the other HUD modes as described above can be used to cycle through displays that will be better suited to AR Glass HUD displays as we get more experience using this kind of inflight technology.

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                                              What is Augmented HMD Reality?
  Augmented Reality is the technology that integrates the outside world as you see it with Realtime digital (aircraft) information (in a HUD or other display format).  
  The optimum HMD aircraft presentation would be aircraft stabilized so that as the pilots head moves about the cockpit the displayed horizon and flight path he sees in his AR Glasses display would be aligned with the outside world relative to any direction his head was pointed.  We believe a simple head tracking (micro video) camera can provide a usable head tracking solution for this first generation experimental aircraft HMD.  While the software is available for this function it has yet to be integrated into an aircraft and that will be our challenge.  We believe the head tracker function will use the XREAL HMD and would require the addition of a small micro video camera be installed on the dash or instrument panel looking back at the pilots head along with a software update for the Raspberry Pi.  But the XREAL AR HMD display described above is usable technology today and will display an accurate horizon along with other aircraft data that most pilots can easily understand.  If the pilots head is aligned level with the aircraft vertical/horizontal axis and pointed straight ahead in a normal flying position the horizon graphics in this first generation AR Glass display will still closely overlay the outside world view as seen through the cockpit windshield.  To provide a more precise HMD display to horizon alignment a new adjustment function will need to be added to the current software to compensate for different pilot height and cockpit seating positions.  But at all times as the pilots head moves around the cockpit the HMD display will accurately present the aircrafts heading, attitude, airspeed and other information relative to the actual aircraft horizon and flightpath no matter what direction his/her head is pointed.

  The PRO's for AR Glasses - depending on the programming these glasses can display more data than a traditional HUD, the display is bright enough to use in a aircraft in the daytime, the HMD data is available in all directions, it can be used in aircraft with no space to install a traditional HUD, they are more economical to purchase (XREAL system is $450 to $500), they can replace Sun Glasses (they have 3-levels of Electrochromic Dimming), prescription lens inserts are available to include bi-focal inserts. These glasses fit my head and nose comfortably.  The only weight I feel on my head is my headset, the glasses weight is insignificant.   

  The CON's - until we develop a reliable head tracker the current system we are testing will not be stabilized to the aircraft waterline or aircraft flight path, the graphics focus is some 12 feet in front of your eyes and not at infinity - not optimum but still very usable, the AR Glass frames must comfortably fit your head & nose to see the full inside the frame OLED screen and your headset (Ear Pads) should also fit comfortably over the Glasses Frame.  The frames are adjustable to various head sizes but they may not fit all heads.   A small USB-C power/video display cord is connected at the left rear portion of the glass frame and then connected to a USB-C to HDMI/5VDC interface which then connects into the HDMI raspberry pi computer. With my headset & ear cushions on I do not feel this cord.

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How do these .055" OLED Micro-Display Lens Work? (Yes its cutting edge FM)

https://www.framos.com/en/articles/near-to-eye-applications-with-oled-microdisplays

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  Controls on the AR Glasses.  

Multi-Function Key: Single Click: Tint Level Adjustment, Double-Click: Screen On/Off, Press & Hold for 2 Secs: Customizable

Brightness Key: Brightness+/Brightness-

Additional XREAL information and Video;  https://www.xreal.com/us/support/air2​

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                  HUD Project FlyOnSpeed 2024 Updated OSHKOSH Forum Brief (Brief Was Cancelled) 

           HUD system Overview, Aircraft System Integration, and RV8 Install Details

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                              HUD can be installed and integrated in most Experimental Aircraft

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