Sneak Peak: Jolly Logic's Easy Dual Deployment

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Heck! Evan at $50 it would be cost effective from my standpoint. Like others have said no av-bay, wiring harnesses, switches, e-matches, bp, ground testing, etc to spend additional funds on. Just buy it, perform a no cost ground test, band it and fly it. Then move it on over to your next rocket. And if it should need ''Specialty bands'' to make it work, they should be cheap.

I fly LPR - Mid MPR and this would be perfect for the unceasing Kansas winds(OK. too)... meaning shorter recovery walks.
 
Personally I don't see this being anywhere near $40 and that's OK with me. JL read only altimeter is $50, why would something that gives you much more cost less?
 
Question Will one be able to prep the rocket. Than turn on device walk to launch pads finish rocket set up and fly it. I would not want to prep recovery system out at the launch pads.
 
This would be great for Wildman's mini line of kits, if it'll fit into a 38mm tube. With this you could comfortably fly as high as your waiver will allow and not need to worry about outrageous drift. I think if you can tap that market it'll be a huge advantage.

Nate
 
I easily see one or two of these in my future equipment. Easy dual deploy, minimal weight added, and, without having to change the configuration of many of my built rockets. This also looks to be a great way to add dual deploy for short stubby rockets as well, such as my Minnie Magg.

Using my Minnie Magg as an example:
A cable cutter requires the cutter, an altimeter, an avionics bay (airframe or nose modification), ejection charge lighters, ejection powder, cable ties, o-rings, retention for the cable cutter, and, prep time.

This JL system as described, requires drilling a pressure relief hole, charge it, test it, prep rocket, attach the JL, tie the chute, fly it.
 
Question Will one be able to prep the rocket. Than turn on device walk to launch pads finish rocket set up and fly it. I would not want to prep recovery system out at the launch pads.

With no pyrotechnic charges, and, depending on battery life, I don't see why it couldn't be armed during prep. It would actually speed up the loading process.
 
I designed a new lower-power architecture for this and future products (so that the next altimeter can use a tiny rechargeable coin cell). Chute Release will have this new architecture, but keep the same Lithium battery we already use. The result is that Chute Release can sit there in standby for an incredibly long time. We'll start doing power-down tests soon to get real numbers. Right now, I think the testing firmware automatically powers it down after 24 hours of inactivity, but that's just a setting. For practical purposes, this isn't a device that you'll need to worry about battery-wise.
 
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Nothing to add, other than sounds fantastically brilliant. WANT

Dave
 
This device will be perfect for my Madcow Honest John. I like putting it up 1,500 - 2,000 feet but the wind has to be almost zero. I'll gladly test or purchase preproduction.
 
Just too many useful things I can think of for this, I need a couple.
 
I'm interested, but I'd be a whole lot more interested if it could fit in 38mm tube.
 
I think one aspect of this product that people will love is the user interface. I'm hoping it will seem quite natural and that you will hardly notice it.

I went through a number of different design studies before I settled on what you see here. This is the first Jolly Logic product without an LCD, for instance. Instead, it uses low-power (but bright) LEDs to indicate battery level and the altitude setting.

Press either button to turn it on.

Changing the altitude of release couldn't be easier--just press the left or right buttons to move the setting higher or lower. If you keep pressing the right button past the top altitude, it turns it off. If you keep pressing it below the lowest altitude, it does a ground test, and opens. (Notice how those two features are labeled on the front of the release.) Even after turning it off or performing ground test, it remembers and returns to your last altitude.

A quick glance at the face will always tell you what the current setting is.

To save battery, after a minute or so it goes into a power-saving mode where only the altitude setting flashes, and the battery meter goes to sleep. A press of either button wakes it up again.

That's the full user interface guide right there. No jumpers or flashing codes or interface programs to learn. Thoughts?

ChuteReleaseRendering-189x300.png
 
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I like the simple user interface, but if it had an LCD it could display the max altitude. any chance the max altitude of the previous flight could be blinked out on an led?
 
John I'm assuming you don't have any actual video footage yet or you probably would have posted it. Will you fly it on a rocket with a forward/upward facing video cam so we can see it in action? Or even a good video taken from the ground would be nice.
 
I like the simple user interface, but if it had an LCD it could display the max altitude. any chance the max altitude of the previous flight could be blinked out on an led?

Riley,
I suppose it could... Have to think about that.

More features, higher price. I'd vote for (and buy) the single function unit you've presented here.
 
I like the interface. I can use my other altimeters for data on the flight. (Speaking of which, I've got to send in my JLAlt2...) I like simple. Simple generally means cheaper. Ina market saturated with devices at or near the $75 level, something around $40 would be super enticing. Cheap enough to "try it out and see". At $75, I'd wait for someone else to try it out... That's just me though.
 
I like the simple user interface, but if it had an LCD it could display the max altitude. any chance the max altitude of the previous flight could be blinked out on an led?

I like this idea. I think version 1 should stay simple. Just do its job. Most of us following this probably have a Jolly Logic altimeter already. Just clip them both on and go.

Version 2 would be good if it had a built in altimeter. At that point, it's pretty much its own av bay.
 
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This looks like a fantastic design, John - nice and simple. I wouldn't add any bells & whistles. I like cable cutters, and they work well for me, but they do take a while to setup, and to clean after flight. This looks much simpler to use. Is there a limit to how large a chute burrito it will fit around? I would absolutely purchase one of these when they're available. It's easily worth $70. An RRC2+ and Archetype double cable cutter package comes in at $95 (Prairie twister doesn't offer a single).
 
This looks like a fantastic design, John - nice and simple. I wouldn't add any bells & whistles. I like cable cutters, and they work well for me, but they do take a while to setup, and to clean after flight. This looks much simpler to use. Is there a limit to how large a chute burrito it will fit around? I would absolutely purchase one of these when they're available. It's easily worth $70. An RRC2+ and Archetype double cable cutter package comes in at $95 (Prairie twister doesn't offer a single).

FYI, I e-mailed Prairie Twister. All I wanted was a tube and piston. He sent me both for less than I would have expected, and discounted the shipping. Sometimes calling or e-mailing gets better results than buying off the web.
 
I would go for simple and cost effective. If I want data I can always add in an Altimeter 1, 2, or three.

I say simple as well. To me simplicity is the beauty of the product. If people want to add complications then choose other chute releases on the market. Keep is Zen.
 
Could two of these be "chained" together to give us a redundancy? In the event that one fails, the other would prevent the chute from remaining reefed.

I'm guessing that a separate altimeter (combined with motor deploy) is still needed to ensure that the parachute is released at (or near) apogee.
 
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