Free GPS and NAV planning software

[Guest mike_perth]

Ok I knew that would get your attention!

 

Ok so the software is free and available at Welcome to SkyAngel, VFR Flight Planning Software and In-Flight Navigation Software

 

The catch there is no Australian database but there is good news I have spoken with Tim the developer of the software and he is more than happy to support and Australian contingent.

 

Im happy to present the data and help build the data but what I need to facilitate this are some people here in Aus that are willing to help me do it.

 

I know some of us have already researched building our own GPS units etc so probably have some of the required data already in a electronic format and Im sure some of it can be purchased at a reasonable price but some of it is going to have to be done the old fashioned way - with our books and computers typed in by hand!

 

So if anyone out there in forum land is interested in helping Im happy to get involoved with Tim and get this data over to him for development

 

The data and formating information is also available on the website at SkyAngel Custom Data Information

 

Mike

 

 

[Orienteer]

You can acquire coastline data and elevation data to a certain degree through Geoscience Australia www.ga.gov.au, i'm not sure what the licensing requirements are, but they are fairly open. And since they are the national agency for such spatial data they would be the best to get the data from.

 

Oh it looks really good, i'd be happy to gove it a go, not sure how much other input i could put in for development.... I can give some advice on acquiring the data from Geoscience Australia as i have captured some for personal use in the past. But i'm no expert in data licensing.

 

 

[Thx1137]

Looks very nice.

 

I have pretty good spatial data in ShapeFile format (sourced from Geoscience Australia and Russia) which I use in my own little flight planner. I also have a pretty good database of airfields and towns so I will have a bit more of a look when I get home.

 

 

[Thx1137]

G'day Mike,

 

If you like PM me your email address and I will send you an airfield file that works with SkyAngel. I converted some airfield data I have. It contains 720 airfields. Not all the data is complete but it is a start :-)

 

Steven.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

Haven't tried it yet, but this is free? The screens look really good, especially when compared to the sorry excuses for software design that are the flight planners available in the Australia market!

 

I would imagine it is only free during the Beta and they'll charge for the final version? (They'd be crazy not to)

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

Thats correct its free during the "development stage" but Im sure if we all band together and we create the Australian data Id hope that those involoved would be offered at least a good deal on the full version!

 

It just needs us all to band together and get going with the data before someone else in Aus decides to do it before us then I would have to think we will be back to paying the full price!

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

There is one major issue with getting good airspace data, though:

 

Airservices Australia Copyright Policy is broken

 

Read it and weep. Can't just use it, can't even pay for it.

 

The only solution I can think of is NOT to distribute the data, but distribute software that takes the AIP PDFs and parses them into the right format. That way each individual is (possibly) comitting the copyright infringement, rather than a company that could easily be sued.

 

 

[Thx1137]

As long as we don't transcribe their collection of data they cannot stop us accuiring the data manually or from other sources. They own *their* library of data not the data itself no matter what they try to say. This is mainly airfield data I am talking about, if they own the airspace data that might be defencable, even if it is small minded.

 

If needs be I would call each airfield in my area to get the appropriate information. If many of us did this we could collect a lot of info quickly.

 

It is "funny" that the US is so copyright centric yet for public data they make it very easy for the public to obtain.

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

Absolutely, if you go about getting the airfield data that way, you are in the clear. AOPA and Country Airstrips is also sitting on a bunch of data they keep to themselves. Imagine the great mashups you could do with the AOPA Airfield Guide in electronic form? The usefulnes of the alphabetically ordered printed guide is a fraction of what it could be.

 

The recent Nine vs. Ice ruling also sets precedent (as have other cases before it) that cross referencing and agregating your work with theirs is unlikely to be infringing.

 

But airfields is only a small portion of the data. You'd also want VRF and IFR waypoints, airways, controlled airspace, FIRs, PRD areas, etc. The only real way to get that data is from Airservices.

 

However, foolishness of the copyright restrictions and that you are only allowed to "view the data in unaltered form" is that you are infringing simply by copying it onto your flight plan or putting the coordinates into your GPS. But it gets worse; the only possible use of the published DAH could be is to plot (i.e.: to copy) the data onto a map! Just looking at all the coordinates is no use what so ever.

 

Before this thread came up I was already looking at parsing the DAH data into something like ShapeFiles and on to KML, something entirely feasible as the DAH itself is obviously computer generated from another electronic source and the layout very consistent. How cool and useful would an entire airspace overlay onto Google Earth be!?

 

 

[Guest mike_perth]

I think thats where "we" have to "make" the data even if it does look almost exactly the same as their data!

 

Whats to stop me inputting a restricted airspace marking on my gps that is almost exactly the same as the one marked on my map but I accidently dont make it exactly the same i.e. its 250M out in its markings? Surely this would still be acceptable for our use sure Mr Qantas may not see it as accurate enough but Im sure would be ok for all of us here!

 

Same with airfield data Im sure we can all "interperate" the ERSA and Country airstrips guide!

 

Mike

 

 

[Guest basscheffers]

A bad copy is still a copy! Especialy now that you have admitted here you are going to do it. :)

 

However, I am not saying we can't get away with it, just saying we need to be careful. Should it come to blows, a judge may well decide that the graphical overlay of airspace is a derivative with enough original work for it not to infringe. Heck, it might have enough original work in it for it to be a new copyrighted work of its own! I just don't know, I am not an expert; all I know is enough to be dangerous.

 

The question is: I don't know just how much Airservices like to litigate on this. In a way I am already infringing as the list of VFR waypoints I created (in the downloads section of this site) is nothing but a copy from ERSA turned into csv and KML files with a little script.

 

They have not sued me. Yet. ;)

 

 

[tangocharlie123]

I noticed today that they are now charging for this software at 121pounds for both the pc and portable versions.

 

cheers

 

 

[LEJ]

Hi Mike,

 

If you need my help PM me and let me know what you would like me to do. More than happy to assist where possible. If there a template of data and you would like to see and how every field should be populated?

 

Regards

 

EJ