Test Pocket Avionics

Thanks for helping. Pocket Avionics turns an Android phone into an aircraft instrument panel, driven by the phone’s own sensors: attitude, altimeter, vertical speed, turn coordinator, heading, GPS ground speed and more, as a classic six-pack or a glass cockpit. It’s free, with no ads, accounts or tracking, and it has no internet permission at all.

Before it can go on the Play Store, Google needs at least 12 people to test it for 14 days in a row. That’s what I’m asking for.

Testing hasn’t opened yet. For now, just join the testers group (step 1 below). I’ll post in the group when the test is live, and steps 2 and 3 will work from then.

What you’ll need

• An Android phone or tablet, Android 8.0 or newer
• The Google account you use for the Play Store
• About two minutes to join, and a few minutes now and then over two weeks

How to join

1. Join the testers group with your Play Store Google account: https://groups.google.com/g/pocket-avionics-testers
2. Opt in to the test with the same account, and tap Become a tester: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.pebblebench.pocketavionics
3. Install the app from the Play Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pebblebench.pocketavionics. If it isn’t found yet, wait a few minutes after opting in and try again.

What I’m asking

• Stay in the test for at least 14 days. Please don’t leave the test or uninstall the app until I post in the group that we’re done, because Google counts the testers every day.
• Open the app every few days and play with it. Google checks that testers really use it.
• Tell me what’s wrong or confusing. Post in the group, with your phone’s model if something misbehaves. Short notes are fine.

Things to try

• Tilt and turn the phone and watch the attitude indicator, heading and turn coordinator.
• Walk, drive or ride as a passenger with location on: ground speed, track and GPS altitude.
• Take a lift or walk up stairs: the altimeter and vertical speed, if your phone has a barometer.
• Switch panels from the menu: modern trainer, vintage, aerobatic, glider and glass cockpit.
• Tap an instrument to enlarge it, and try its settings.
• Record a short trip, replay it, and export it as GPX.
• Try night lighting, landscape and portrait.

Safety

Pocket Avionics is a toy and a learning aid, not a certified instrument. Phone sensors drift, lag and fail without warning, and the airspeed indicator shows GPS ground speed. Never use it for navigation, for flight in cloud, or in place of an aircraft’s own instruments, and don’t use it while you are driving.

Privacy

The app collects nothing and can’t connect to the internet. Your location and recordings stay on your phone. The full policy: https://pebblebench.com/privacy/

After the test

You can keep the app and get updates as normal. To leave the test, open the opt-in link above and choose Leave the program.