moving flight direction point for osd

[druckgott]

🛠️ Feature: OSD Flight Direction POI (Point of Interest)

This update adds a new HUD element that displays the current flight direction of the aircraft as a POI symbol on the OSD.

The feature is controlled via hud_flightpoint in the OSD configuration.

It uses current velocity (not attitude or orientation) to calculate the horizontal direction (in degrees).

No prediction or extrapolation is used — the direction reflects the actual motion vector, including effects like wind drift.

The vertical component (vz) is optionally used to show relative altitude of the POI (above/below).

Display uses osdHudDrawPoi() with a symbol such as SYM_ALERT.

Example Use Case

This visualization is helpful for understanding the aircraft's actual flight path — especially in conditions with wind or when the heading does not match the direction of travel.
Technical Notes

Velocity is taken from getEstimatedActualVelocity() in cm/s and converted to direction using atan2f.

Altitude is shown relative to the current vertical motion vector (vz).

POI is shown even when velocity is low, but logic can be extended to suppress output below thresholds if desired.

Currently I use SYS_ALERT Icon, but bevor merging I will change this, its for testing currently so if somebody wants to test it, here are the hex files:
https://github.com/iNavFlight/inav/actions/runs/14776843536/artifacts/3044729393

Maybe we can use the SYM_GLIDESLOPE symbol which is moving on the point or we can use arrows for up and down direction?

[Jetrell]

I like your idea. It's just a shame most flight software and HD systems don't support pixel OSD.. Which would make the HUD more precise.
As is with analogue, it will jump around considerably. Possibly making this feature harder to use, as it jumps to the next character position.

However you may be able to get better horizontal precision with the HUD, if you incorporate the use of the AHI vertical elements.
It would provide 6 points of precision per character element position.

[druckgott]

yes but thats then only horizontal, not vertical. But you are right thats not so perfekt ;-)

[druckgott]

so today I did a test for the osd. Prinzipal I think it works quite well, but there are some points:

• vertical direction is wrong (also for home point, don´t know why I also attaced my diff, the board is mounted like in manual so it´s not rotatet anyway different to the "normal" build in position.
• the home point is shown I have to check the area: case OSD_HOME_DIR in osd.c
• I have to check why there the 0 comes with it near to my symbol, I think it´s maybe also a problem in area of case OSD_HOME_DIR

Here a Video:

diff all (so maybe vor the inverted homepoint and flight direction point
INAV_8.0.1_cli_FUNJET_20250511_111944_funktioniert_start_senkrecht.txt

[MrD-RC]

I watched the video and have no clue what it’s supposed to be showing? Is this just the ground course vs heading difference?

[druckgott]

I watched the video and have no clue what it’s supposed to be showing? Is this just the ground course vs heading difference?

IT Shows you the moving direction of the aircraft, expext that the vertical Position i ls. Mirror, i habe flashen my funjet already this a fix But have to test it

But its the flight movement so where you will currently move on if there is no influence of anything,linke a pathe where you will go.

[druckgott]

Today I did test it again. There are some things I don´t understand:

• why can I see the homepoint always, I only have this on: --> ok this I find out it was due to osd symbol 45 which was on, so I now deaktivate this
  set osd_hud_flight_direction = ON
  set osd_hud_radar_disp = 3
• Why do it jump around so much in horizontal position, vertical position is quite accurat, I use o3 with this values
  set osd_camera_fov_h = 122
  set osd_camera_fov_v = 93
• Why is the position of the homepoint always in the wrong direction horizontal.

Video:

This is the current testing Icon that it´s good to see:

[sensei-hacker]

yes but thats then only horizontal, not vertical. But you are right thats not so perfekt ;-)

The OSD already has a vertical indicator, and that's used at a different phase of flight. I think this could be useful with just the horizontal component.

This could be very useful in low-wind conditions. The six critical flight instruments, the "six pack" used on virtually every full size plane are:

• airspeed indicator
• altimeter
• attitude indicator
• turn coordinator (aka yaw string aka slip/skid indicator)
• heading indicator
• vertical speed indicator

In low-wind conditions the horizontal component combines a turn coordinator (yaw string).

The turn coordinator aka yaw string (the "horizontal" axis) is important while turning, as it tells you if you're slipping (nose pointed outside the turn, relative wind hitting the inner side of the aircraft), skidding (nose pointed at the center of the turn, relative wind hitting the outer side of the aircraft), or in a coordinated turn (nose pointed in the direction you're going). That can avoid a stall turning into a spin. (Again, when the wind is small compared to airspeed).