After 3 years of of excellence its time to retire the Tracksoar V1 and on to an even better Tracksoar. We’ve gotten feedback from dozens of teams and added some of the most often requested features to Tracksoar V2. In addition to new features we’ve made it even easier to use.

To make the Tracksoar V2 even more beginner friendly we’ve done away with the serial jumpers and the programming shield. The new Tracksoar is based on the ATmega32u4, which means built in USB which we make accessible via a micro USB port. Since we freed up the serial port we no longer need to use jumpers to connect and disconnect the serial port for programming, one less sticking point while getting started with the Tracksoar.

We’ve integrated a lot of great new features and fixed some things as well. The Tracksoar V2 is now built on a 4 layer board to help mitigate RF noise and improve GPS reception. There’s even snap off mounting points to make Tracksoar easier to integrate with your payload. We’ve managed to drop the average GPS fix time by 5 minutes. In addition to fast fix times we’ve also added a super capacitor backup to the GPS module, so a power issue in flight doesn’t mean a full cold start for the GPS, dropping the fix time to 30 seconds. We’ve updated the board layout and components to mitigate interfering with measurements from the environmental sensors which means more accurate data. We’ve replaced the 3v linear regulator with a buck regulator meaning the Tracksoar V2 is even more power efficient, running for over 30 hours*. In addition there’s even more available GPIO, and access to the 3v and 5v rails.

here’s a list of the new features and upgrades in the Tracksoar V2:

• USB Micro connector
• 4 layer board to improve RF performance
• Improved battery life
• GPS power backup
• Removable mounting points
• More available GPIO
• No programming shield or jumpers required
• New and improved firmware

Even better we’ve managed to lower the cost**

*this result is based on a test at 25 centigrade, with Energizer ultimate lithium batteries, transmitting once per minute.

**compared to a Tracksoar V1 Ready to Fly and programming shield – $230 USD