Volirium P1

The Volirium P1 is a smartvario, combining the most sensitive pressure sensor on the market with a state-of-the-art flight computer in a compact, purpose-built housing. Its software is designed with focus on user-friendly and manual-free operation. Glove-friendly touch screen further increases its ease-of-use. The P1 is perfectly suited for pilots ready to set new personal bests or take the next step in their competition flying.

Easy to use

Pilots should enjoy their flights, and not have to worry about technology. This thought is at the core of the Volirium P1’s development: A highly capeble instrument that is powerful and yet very easy to use. Both on the ground and in the air, the P1 uses technology to make your life truly easier. Here are just a few examples:

A modern user interface that uses the concepts found on other mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets. This way you will feel immediately at home and know how to operate the P1
Automatic updates over WiFi: Connect your vario to any WiFi, and you’ll be immediately notified if we have released new software for it
After each flight, the flight’s track is stored in an IGC file, the standard format for uploading flights to online contests, competitions and flight logs. But for a quick peek, the flight is also available as a Google Earth file, you can take a look at your track right away
Beeping varios at launch can be a nuisance. The P1 can be set to only beep once you are flying

Glove-friendly hardware

The Volirium P1 is operated with three large, domed hardware buttons that are easy to feel even with thick gloves on. Additional input can be given through the touch display, which also works with any kind of gloves.

Display is readable in bright sunlight

We use a special kind of display (a so-called “transflective” LCD), which ensures that you can read the information even in the brightest sunlight. Actually, the brighter the light, the better.

Precise, fast and “nice” vario

We use our own sensor electronics, and a calibration process that we developed over the last 30+ years, to achieve an unmatched sensor resolution: The P1 can reliably detect altitude changes of 2 cm, based on the pressure change alone! This gives us an incredibly fast and precise vario. A vario that always beeps when you’re going up, no matter how slowly. But also a vario that only beeps when you’re going up, but remains silent otherwise, regardless of any other movement. The vario sound can be customized to match your preference, so that you enjoy listening to it and remain calm even in very strong conditions.

Built to last

The P1’s casing has been custom-built to protect internal electronics, regardless of blown launches and hard landings and even if things do break, they can easily be serviced.

Great battery life

The P1 is powered by a powerful battery that lasts for a good weekend of flying (about 20 hours of airtime). The P1 is charged over mico USB port so it can be conveniently charged via any USB power source (vehicle/wall adapters, back-up battery, solar, etc.). LiPo battery will last for many seasons of recharge cycles.

Navigation

The P1’s positioning system was designed by our friends at Advanced Sport Instrument, the experts in satellite-based positioning and sports tracking. It uses both the data from GPS and GLONASS, giving the P1 a very quick first fix as well as very high possition accuracy.The positioning information is then used to draw a moving map that indicates your position, airspaces in your vicinity and waypoints. The P1 works with all the usual waypoint file formats, and gives you the option to either pick one point as your goal (“Goto”), or combine multiple points to a route.When flying along a route, you get up-to-date information about remaining distance and required glide to the next turnpoint and to goal. When setting a race route, the P1 will guide you through the launch and start procedure, help you fly the shortest way around the course, and give you your race time as soon as you fly into goal.

Connectivity

WiFi: The P1 exchanges information with our servers over the Internet, using WiFi: Software updates and error reports.

USB: When connecting your P1 to a computer via USB, it appears as a mass storage device (like a USB drive), giving you direct access to your flight tracks, and allowing you to upload waypoint and airspace files.

What's Included

Quickstart guide

USB micro cable for connecting it to a computer

Wall charger

Softcase

Velcro patch for cockpit mount

Built-in tether

4 GB micro SD card

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Altimeter

Absolute and relative barometric altitude (m / ft / FL)
GPS altitude (m / ft)
Barometric pressure (hPa / inHg)
Automatic setting of barometric altitude before launch
Maximum and minimum for flight

Variometer

Acoustic
Graphic (m/s / fpm)
Numeric, raw or integrated (m/s / fpm)
Predefined acoustic profiles
Climb tone, near-thermal tone, sink tone
Maximum climb and sink for flight

Speed

Speed over ground from GPS (km/h / mph)
Average, maximum for flight

Wind indicator

Wind speed (km/h / mph / knots)
Wind direction

Navigation

Air spaces: Import of OpenAir files
Obstacles
Indication of current position
Waypoints: Manual entry, store current position, import of waypoint files (CompeGPS, GSP Dump, Ozi Explorer, GPX, SeeYou)
Goto: Distance and bearing to a waypoint

Cross country flights

Route over multiple turnpoints
Distance from/to launch (in development)
Current points in selected online contest (in development)
Distance and required glide to goal

Race flights

Optimized route with cylinders, start of speed section, end of speed section and goal
Distance and required glide to goal along optimized route
Turnpoint tolerance can be set for each route

Analysis

Export flight as IGC file
Export flight as KML file for Google Earth
Flight log
Flight replay

WiFi

Automatic software updates
Transmission of analysis data in the case of software problems

USB

Charge battery
Data exchange with any computer

Housing

Robust, shockproof ABS housing, dark grey with orange sides
Dimensions: 142 x 88 x 23 mm
Weight: 305 g

Display

High contrast transflective LCD, optimized for good readability in direct sunlight
Resolution 240 x 320 pixel, 16 levels of grey

Operation

On/Off button
Keyboard with three clearly detectable, glove-friendly keys with situative double function (short / long press)
Resistive touch screen, can be operated with pen, finger or glove

Electronics

Dual processor system: ARM Cortex M0+ for real-time sensor calculations, ARM 9 running Linux for screen output and user interaction
WiFi, Bluetooth Low Energy, FlyLink, GPS
Memory: 4 GB on Micro SD card (included)

Connections

Slot for Micro SD card
Micro USB (charging battery, data exchange with PC), charger and cable are included
3.5 mm jack (audio out)

Power supply

LiPo accumulator with 5.5 Ah
Operating time: about 20 h
Charging time: about 5 h with the supplied Volirium wall charger

Attachment options

Velcro patch (included) for paraglider cockpits or leg mounts
M5 threading on the backside, for most standard hang-glider mounts

RESOURCES

The P1 software is newly designed and developed, focusing on ease-of-use and manual-free operation. Its user user interface makes use of the concepts found on other mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets. This way you will feel immediately at home and know how to operate the P1.

Automatic updates

To get the latest software version for your Volirium P1, simply connect your vario to the Internet:

From the main menu page: Wi-Fi –> Enable Wi-Fi –> Select your network and enter its password (if required)
If a newer software version is available, the information icon i appears in the status bar at the top of the screen
Click on the status bar to open the information page and see information about the latest version: A software update is available
Click on this message to open the update screen, where you then start the automatic update process

Flytec Volirium P1 (Flight instrument)