Eagle Flight Computer

On backorder until June 7th. We apologize for the inconvenience.

Eagle Flight Computer - The Most Powerful and Robust Near-space Flight Computer

Our Flight Computer’s Heritage

This flight computer was designed by one of NASA’s International Space Station flight controllers. Working with computers operating in space is challenging. The thermal and radiation environment is extremely harsh, especially when your orbit intersects the SAA (South Atlantic Anomaly.) Many of the lessons learnt on the International Space Station flight computers were incorporated in the design of our Eagle Flight Computer, not just the hardware, but especially the firmware. The result, a bulletproof flight computer that won’t let you down, even if mounted externally and directly exposed to the harsh elements of near-space. This flight computer has been in production for over a year now; and to date, not one of our customers has ever reported any glitches, anomalies, or failures.

Features

The 16-bit processor on this flight computer is designed to meet military specs. That means it’s designed to operate between - 55 C and 125 C without requiring heating, cooling, or thermal insulation. We’ve repeatedly tested the processor as low as -60 C without any failures. We’ve even had these computers come down coated in ice and still faithfully recording and saving data.

Unlike most GPS receivers that stop working at 18,500 m ~ 60,000 ft, our flight computer's GPS receiver will continue to output data at over 80,000 m ~ 260,000 ft. This GPS receiver is considerably more expensive than its civilian cousin, but you can now verify your record-breaking flights through the Stratosphere, the Mesosphere, and into the Thermosphere. Admittedly, we haven’t been able to test our GPS receiver at 80,000 m... yet. If you happen to fly it that high, please give us a call.

The included sensor probe has an extreme pressure sensing range of 10 to 1200 mbar. That means you’re still actively recording pressure up to a pressure equivalent altitude of 31,000 m ~ 100,000 ft. Cheaper pressure sensors can only read as low as 300 mbar / 300 hPa (pressure equivalent altitude of 9165 m / 30,069 ft.) The probe's temperature sensor can read as low as - 40 C. You can mount the sensor probe directly to the flight computer, or remotely on the included 30 cm ~ 12 inch data cable extension.

This flight computer is incredibly easy to operate. Just insert the batteries and included micro SD card, and flip the switch to the ON position. You’re now recording data to the micro SD card once every six seconds (every time the LED flashes). That’s ten times per minute to keep things easy. Data is also backed up after every write cycle so you don’t have to ever worry about losing any of your precious data if the board accidentally gets powered off. Once you recover you payload, it only takes a few seconds to export the data in Microsoft Excel. If you’re new to Microsoft Excel, the included user manual will guide you through the whole process, including how to convert your data from Metric to English units. You can also email us the Eagle File on your micro SD card and we’ll plot and graph your data free of charge within one business day.

Add-ons

Thanks to your feedback, you can now add a second sensor probe to your flight computer. This is especially useful if you would like to measure the temperature / pressure inside your payload enclosure or a dedicated flight experiment. Just select the "Add-ons" check box above and select the "Extra Probe" option.

The additional sensor probe comes with a 30 cm / 12 inch cable and has the following performance:

• Pressure Sensor Range                  10 - 1200 mbar* / 0.145 - 17.405 psi
• Temperature Sensor Range              - 40 to 80 C / - 40 to 176 F

Our Commitment

1. We'll match the price of any competitor's flight computer with comparable performance. Just give us a call
2. We've never had a flight computer go defective on a customer, but if yours exhibits any manafacturing defects within one year, we'll repair or replace it at no charge.

General Characteristics

• Weight                                           85 g /  3.0 oz
• Dimensions                                    76 x 100 mm / 3.0 x 3.9 inches
• Hole Mounts                                   66 x 89 mm / 2.6 x 3.5 inches
• Mounting Requirements                   None, can be directly exposed to the elements.
• Sensor Probe Cable Length             30 cm / 12 inches
• Battery Pack                                  4 x AA
• Recommend Batteries                     Energizer Lithium Ion - AA
• Memory Type                                 Micro SD

Performance

• Operational Temperature Range       -60 to 125 C / -76 to 257 F
• Record / Save Cycle                        6 seconds
• Battery Life                                     36 hours (using recommended batteries)   
• GPS Functional Altitude                  80,000 m / 262,500 ft
• Pressure Sensor Range                  10 - 1200 mbar* / 0.145 - 17.405 psi
• Equiv. Alt. Pressure Range              -1,450 to 31,055 m / -4,757 to 101,886 ft
• Temperature Sensor Range              - 40 to 80 C / - 40 to 176 F

Data Recorded

GPS

• Date / Time (Zulu)
• Latitude / Longitude
• Altitude (meters)
• Ground Speed (knots)
• Compass Heading (0 to 259 deg.)

Sensor Module

• Pressure (mbar* / hPa)
• Temperature (100ths deg C)

* To convert mbar to hPa, just multiply by 1.

What’s Included

• Eagle Flight Computer with GPS Receiver
• Temperature / Pressure Sensor Probe
• 30 cm ~ 12 inch Sensor Probe Extension Cable
• 2 Gig. Micro SD Card
• 4 AA Battery Pack
• User Manual

What’s Required

• 4 AA Energizer Lithium Ion Batteries
• A Desire to Explore Near-space
• A Passion for Adventure