External hardware

27Remote controls

Using an AeroRemote or a Bluetooth keyboard remote, and assigning actions to its buttons.

Works offline

Why use a remote#

A phone touchscreen is difficult with gloves, impossible in rain, and awkward when both hands are on the brakes. A remote on the riser gives you zoom, layout switching and turnpoint control without letting go of anything important.

Where Settings › Remote controls

Tip

A remote pairs well with Touch gestures turned off on the flight map. Nothing then moves by accident, and everything moves when you decide it should.

Choosing an input mode#

Remote input mode decides what the app listens to, described as Pick Off, AeroRemote, or HID keyboard input for the active flight page.

Mode Use it when
Off You do not use a remote. This is the default.
AeroRemote You have an AeroRemote. It reports real button events, so short press, long press and repeat can each do something different.
HID keyboard You have a generic Bluetooth remote that pretends to be a keyboard. Each button sends a key, and you assign an action to that key.
Fig. 27.1Remote control settings, with the mode selector and the button assignments.

Pairing an AeroRemote#

  1. Set the mode to AeroRemote.
  2. Press Pair AeroRemote. The app shows Scanning for AeroRemote devices…
  3. Pick your device. The app shows Pairing and validating… then AeroRemote saved.
  4. The status line shows Connected, Connecting… or Disconnected.
Change device
Pair a different remote.
Forget device
Unpair the current one.

Caution

Bluetooth is unavailable. means the phone's Bluetooth is off or not permitted, not that the remote is missing.

Assigning actions to buttons#

Button assignments is where a remote becomes useful. The app summarizes the difference between the modes: HID keyboard uses key assignments. AeroRemote can capture repeat, short press, and long press per button.

  1. Open Button assignments.
  2. Choose the gesture you want to set: Short press, Long press or Repeat.
  3. Press Assign. The app prompts Press a remote button now.
  4. Press the button on the remote. The capture hint explains the timing: Tap for short press, hold for long press, or keep holding until repeat starts.
  5. Pick the action from the list.
  6. Use Clear to remove an assignment, which then shows Unassigned.

AeroRemote buttons are grouped as Upper and Lower so you can tell them apart while assigning.

Note

In HID keyboard mode you get Assigned key: <value> instead, since a generic remote only sends a key press.

Tip

Use Repeat is what makes zoom usable. Assign zoom in and zoom out to repeat, and holding the button zooms continuously instead of one step per press.

What you can assign#

Fourteen actions can be bound to a button.

Group Actions
Map Zoom in, Zoom out, Auto zoom toggle, Pan up, Pan down, Pan left, Pan right
Navigation Next turnpoint, Previous turnpoint
Screen Switch layout
Capture Take photo
Live Level 1 message, Level 2 message, Level 3 message

The full list with descriptions is in Appendix C.

Tip

A good starting set: zoom in and zoom out on repeat, switch layout on a short press, and next turnpoint on a long press. Add the level messages only if your competition uses them, since an accidental send is worse than no button.