Flight Stand Software 3.0.0: New Features, Improved Workflows, and API Update

We're excited to introduce the Flight Stand Software 3.0.0 update, bringing meaningful improvements to combustion engine testing, workflow efficiency, controller compatibility, and overall usability. This release reflects our continued commitment to making propulsion testing faster and more intuitive for both new and experienced users.

Customers using the Flight Stand API for custom scripts or software integration should also review the API changes at the end of this article before upgrading.

Figure 1: Hardware Page of the Flight Stand Software 3.0.0

Table of Contents

1. Expanded Combustion Engine Support
2. Improved Controller Support
3. Faster Test Setup
4. Guided and Unified Views
5. Display and Interface Improvements
6. Improved Extra Mappings
7. Data Handling and Stability
8. API Breaking Change
9. More API Download Options

1. Expanded Combustion Engine Support

Version 3.0.0 significantly expands the software's support for combustion engine testing.

• Powertrain types: Select either an electric or combustion powertrain to configure the software for the appropriate testing setup.

Figure 2: Electric and Combustion Powertrain selection menu

• Fuel hardware mapping: Map fuel-measurement hardware directly within the software.
• Fuel properties: Define fuel type and energy density for use in calculations.
• Fuel data display: View and export fuel-related measurements alongside other test data.
• Workflow organization: Keep propulsion, fuel, and efficiency measurements together within the same test environment.

2. Improved Controller Support

• Broader compatibility: Connect XInput and DirectInput controllers, including many common USB game controllers.
• Output mapping: Assign controller inputs to throttle, PWM, or other supported outputs.
• Manual control: Use connected controllers directly within the software's manual control workflow.

3. Faster Test Setup

• Bookmarks: Bind keys to frequently used PWM or throttle settings, such as idle or a commonly used test point.

• Import Sequence Wizard: Import automatic test sequences from CSV files, choose which columns to import, and map them directly to software outputs.

4. Guided and Unified Views

Users can now choose between two workspace layouts based on their experience and preferred workflow.

• Standard Mode: Separates Manual Control and Automatic Control into individual tabs, creating a clearer workflow for new users.

• Advanced Mode: Combines both control types into one tab, "Controls", reducing navigation and allowing experienced users to work more quickly.

Figure 10: Controls tab in Advance mode

5. Display and Interface Improvements

• Display themes: Choose between System, Day, Night, and High Contrast modes.

Figure 12: Flight Stand Software in dark mode

• Interface consistency: Benefit from clearer and more consistent controls throughout the software.
• Localizations: Access updated translations across supported languages.

6. Improved Extra Mappings

• Drag-and-drop ordering: Arrange Extra Input Mappings in your preferred order.

• Display control: Control how mapped inputs appear in the left panel.
• Imported transformations: Map inputs to imported transformations more reliably.

7. Data Handling and Stability

• Bulk export: Improved bulk export of data across multiple test files.

• General stability: Additional fixes improve first-generation hardware support, calibration, transformations, and file handling.

8. API Breaking Change

Flight Stand Software 3.0.0 includes a breaking change to the Flight Stand API. Most users will not be affected, but customers using custom scripts or applications that communicate directly with the API may need to update them.

• Identification structure: Board display name, serial number, model number, firmware version, and expected firmware version have moved from separate fields into an identification map containing key-value pairs.
• External boards: Requests used to create external boards now use the same identification-map structure.
• Deprecated functions: The API's data-corruption debugging feature has been deprecated.
• New API support: Input types, powertrain types, fuel properties, frequency sensors, internal temperature sensors, and accelerometer self-testing have been added.
  

9. More API Download Options

The Flight Stand API is now available to download through various package managers:

• JavaScript: Available on the npm registry.
• Python: Published on PyPI.
  
• Golang: Hosted on the official Gitlab repository.

Scripts that reference the previous board identification fields may stop working after upgrading. Customers with custom API integrations should review the API changelog and test their scripts with version 3.0.0 before deploying the update.