About Compass Eye

Designed by a boat skipper, Compass Eye can be used to help navigation at sea, on land or in the air as a bearing or marching compass. The overlaid camera view, bearing markers and up to 8x real-time zoom turns your iPhone or iPad into a Professional AR Compass. Compass Eye is fully gimballed and works accurately in all orientations and angles, unlike most compass apps which only show the correct heading when held level and close to horizontal.

"The app's compass works way better than the iOS default compass and I don't have to wave my iPhone in the air every time I launch the app." Gizmodo Review (App of The Day, 6th December).

How To Use Compass Eye

For clearance bearings to a point on an approach, set one line to the minimum bearing (e.g. the angle the target must bear greater than) and the other line to the maximum bearing and navigate between the two. Use the colours according to the IALA lateral markings to help you remember which way to steer. e.g. in North America use red for the minimum bearing and green for the maximum (vice-versa in Europe!).

Compass Eye's photo capture of view including compass, bearings, time and location information (Camera button on left of screen) lets you take 3 bearings with the Yellow, Red and Green bearings lines, capture with a photo and then use the photo to get a fix on a chart.

Compass Eye Features

• Real time, accurate in all orientations
• Compass overlaid on live camera view
• 8x Digital zoom
• Back, transit, or collision bearing marker
• Draggable Green and red bearing lines
• Triangulation bearings
• Optional time, date and GPS location information.
• Magnetic or True North setting with variation based on location
• Live map view with position and track.

Enabling GPS also shows the Speed Over Ground (SOG) and Course Over Ground (COG)
Based on an iPhone 4 camera the image specification at full zoom compares with a 7x50 pair of binoculars:-

• Field of Vision at 1000m at 8x: 122m
• Angle of view at 8x: approx 7 degrees (similar to a 7x50 binocular)
• Low ISO 80 or better.

Requirements: iOS device with back facing Camera, Magnetometer and accelerometer (gps is optional). e.g. iPhone 3GS, 4 or later

Navigation Safety

This application should only be used for basic navigation assistance. Never rely solely on the digital compass for determining direction, proximity or distance. The user is responsible for the prudent use of information provided by this application and must not use it for direct navigation. The accuracy of digital compass headings can be affected by magnetic or other environmental interference, including interference caused by proximity to the magnets contained in the iPhone ear-buds. Location-based applications depend on data services. These data services are subject to change and may not be available in all geographic areas, resulting in digital compass headings, directions or location-based information that may be unavailable, inaccurate, or incomplete.

Frequently Asked Questions

Tap on the questions below to reveal the answers...

• How do I set a collision bearing?

  Hold your iPhone in landscape mode and look at the ship you want to track. When it is in the centre of your view press the compass button at the top right of the screen to set the yellow bearing line. Keep checking the bearing to the other boat on a regular basis. If it is continually changing from the Yellow bearing you took you are going to miss each other. If it remains roughly on the same bearing you need to plan how you will avoid each other!

• How do I set clearance bearings?

  Tapping once on the compass view will toggle the red bearing line. Tapping twice will toggle the green bearing line. Both these bearing lines can be dragged to the position you require using your finger.

  For clearance bearings to a point on an approach, set one line to the minimum bearing (e.g. the angle the target must bear greater than) and the other line to the maximum bearing and navigate between the two. Use the colours according to the IALA lateral markings to help you remember which way to steer. e.g. in North America use red for the minimum bearing and green for the maximum (vice-versa in Europe!).

• How do I use zoom?

  Pressing the plus button on the bottom right of the screen zooms the image in for both the camera view and for the map view when held horizontal. The minus key zooms out.

• Can I take a picture?

  Yes, press the camera button on the top left of the screen. This will save a picture of the current view to the iPhone camera roll including all bearing lines, time and gps values but without the button icons.

  The last picture you took is available directly in the app to share via email or twitter.

• How do I turn the time or gps information on and off?

  Tapping on the top left or right of the screen cycles through the data e.g. from time only, time and date to no information.

  Tapping in the GPS area at the top right cycles through no GPS info, GPS info including COG (course over ground) and SOG (speed over ground) and GPS info plus the GPS blue bearing line (course over ground).

  N.B. When GPS data is showing or True North is set the iPhone GPS system is active and will use more battery power while the app is running. You can also turn off the GPS information using the "Show Location" switch in settings.

• Must I be connected to the internet to use Compass Eye

  Its not necessary. Compass eye requires no data connection or cellular connection to operate in Magnetic compass mode for taking bearings.

  Ensure GPS Position, True North and Map when flat are all set off in settings (i button) to maintain the lowest battery usage.

• I want the compass to show True North readings rather than Magnetic?

  Go to settings (i button on bottom left of screen) and set the "Adjust for True North" switch as you require. The label shows the current magnetic variation for your locale in brackets (e.g. (2W)). All bearings as well as the compass display are automatically adjusted to the new setting. When True North is set on the compass and bearing readings will show a N after the number.

  N.B. Using True North requires the iPhone GPS system to be powered up and will consume more battery power.

• I can't see the map when I hold my iPhone/iPad flat?

  Compass Eye uses the device orientation to decide whether to show the map or the camera view. Check orientation lock is not set on your device. The Map View requires Location sharing to be enabled for Compass Eye and an internet connection. You are asked when you first run Compass Eye if you will allow Location services. You can change your decision later using the App specific Location Services settings in the iPhone Settings app

• Will Compass Eye work on an iPad?

  Yes on an iPad 2 which has a back facing camera - think Big Binoculars!. The original iPad has no camera and so isn't supported.

• Calibration

  When using the compass you may see the message, "Move away from any interference, or re-calibrate by waving in a figure 8 motion."

  The built-in digital compass works just like a magnetic-needle compass. The accuracy of digital compass headings can be affected by magnetic or other environmental interference, including interference caused by proximity to the magnets contained in the iPhone earbuds. The compass may need to be calibrated from time to time. When the device displays the calibration alert, rotate the device in a figure 8 motion until the calibration screen disappears.

  See iPhone Compass Calibration for additional information.

• Navigation Safety?

  This application should only be used for basic navigation assistance. Never rely solely on the digital compass for determining direction, proximity or distance. The user is responsible for the prudent use of information provided by this application and must not use it for direct navigation. The accuracy of digital compass headings can be affected by magnetic or other environmental interference, including interference caused by proximity to the magnets contained in the iPhone ear-buds.
  

  Location-based applications depend on data services. These data services are subject to change and may not be available in all geographic areas, resulting in digital compass headings, directions or location-based information that may be unavailable, inaccurate, or incomplete.

  
  You assume all responsibility and risk for the use of this software. The author assumes no liability for damages arising from use of this program.
  
  

  DO NOT RELY ON THIS APPLICATION FOR DECISIONS THAT CAN RESULT IN HARM TO ANYONE OR ANYTHING.

• Can I send you feedback and ideas?

  Yes, definitely - we'd love to know what you like (and don't like) about Compass Eye - the best way is to send an email directly to CompassEye@electricpocket.com. We'll do our best to get back to you quickly!