Have you ever asked “where is my buddy John?” while riding your paraglider, bike or ultralight? Or yet, “how high, far or faster is my buddy Peter compared to me?”. Maybe you’d just like to have that “nice, radar-like” interface showing your buddies around.

Buddy PPG Finder is an app (for iPhone and Android) that answers these questions.

PPG Finder App (I had to change the name to PPG Finder and Buddy Finder was not accepted by Apple)

Buddy PPG Finder is a navigation app designed specifically for paramotor, ultralight and bike riders willing to get “regular” dashboard information for their rides (showing map, altitude, speed, compass, riding time and traveled distance), PLUS the ability to check, in real time, where “buddies” are around them. The “live” view shows friends around on the map, highlighting their altitude, speed, and distance from you.

It makes also easy to return to origin locations (the place where you took off or start your hide), pointing the compass to that place, also showing distance and estimated time to get back there.

Screenshots

Login with your Facebook account (no need to remember another password)

Main screen while preparing for your ride.

Fun has started. The colored dots on the map are your buddies (with glider colors selected by them). The bottom of the screen shows where is and how to get back to the origin location.

Click the bottom bar and see the “live” information about your buddies. Discover who is flying faster and his altitude.

Select your glider color in the Settings page.

How can I get my hands on the app? What is next?

The app is almost done (I have shown it to some of you already). The next step is to submit it to Google Play and Apple Stores (so you can download and test it). And here I am going to need your help.

Only to add the app at these stores, it is required the payment of $125 ($ 25 for Google Store and $100 for the Apple Store). I am not planning to make money with this app, neither I can fund these costs at this moment. So, in order to publish the app, I am counting on your donations to my PayPal account (more below). Besides helping with the publishing costs, you will be able to provide feedback while using it. Also, if I get more than the $125, I will use the difference to return part of the money to people who donate more (let’s say we get $130, with average donation of $5 and one person donating $10. In this case, I will give the remaining $5 to this donor, so he will be in the same boat as the other “investors”).

Again, besides hours learning how to code a new language, designing, coding and testing it, I DO NOT plan to get money from my friends. So, if the total amount of donations is not enough to cover the costs, I will return the money to you.

If you want to help, simply go to PayPal and make the donation to my email alexandres@hotmail.com (or leave the money with Jose Casaudoumecq/Alex next time we meet again).

Questions? Suggestions? Bugs?

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