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AR Recovery HUD

Experimental

Walk to Your Rocket with Augmented Reality

AltosUI includes an augmented reality heads-up display for rocket recovery. Hold up your phone and the AR HUD overlays navigation data directly on your camera view — bearing, distance, and a targeting reticle — so you can see the real world and your rocket's telemetry at the same time.

What You See

Three elements work together to guide you to your rocket:

Compass Ribbon — A scrolling compass strip across the top of the screen shows your current heading with tick marks and cardinal direction labels. A triangle marker indicates your rocket's bearing on the compass. One glance tells you whether to keep walking or turn.

Direction Strip — A panel on the right side shows a directional arrow pointing toward your rocket, rotating as you turn. Below the arrow, a live distance readout updates as you walk. When GPS is unavailable, the panel tells you. When you're within about 7 meters, it tells you that too.

Targeting Reticle — When your rocket falls within the camera's field of view, a diamond-shaped reticle appears at the rocket's reported position. The reticle tracks bearing and elevation relative to where you're pointing, staying locked on the rocket's coordinates as you sweep your phone across the landscape.

GPS Uncertainty Circle — A dashed circle surrounds the reticle, showing the area where your rocket is most likely located. The circle is small at long range and grows as you walk closer — honestly reflecting that GPS can place the rocket within a few meters but not to an exact point. See the GPS Uncertainty Circle feature page for details.

How to Use It

  1. Navigate to the Recover tab
  2. Tap AR in the mode selector at the bottom
  3. Grant camera permission when prompted (first time only)
  4. Hold your phone up and start walking

The compass ribbon orients you. The direction arrow tells you how far. The reticle shows you where to look.

Tip: Tap anywhere on the HUD to cycle through four color themes — green, amber, cyan, and white. Pick whichever stands out best against your current surroundings. Your choice is remembered between sessions.

When It Works Best

The AR HUD shines during the final approach. Once your rocket is on the ground and you're within a few hundred meters, the camera view combined with bearing and distance gives you a far more intuitive sense of direction than staring at a map pin. It's especially helpful in tall grass, brush, or uneven terrain where the rocket is hidden but you know you're close.

What You Need

  • A device with a rear camera
  • GPS location services enabled
  • An active telemetry connection to a flight computer with GPS (TeleMega, TeleMetrum, or TeleGPS)

The HUD uses your device's compass and motion sensors alongside the camera. It works without any network connection — just Bluetooth telemetry from your TeleBT ground station.

This is an experimental feature. We're actively refining the AR recovery experience and would love to hear how it works for you in the field.