Knuckles-5 is scheduled to be available for sale in late 2021.
The expected price is $250.

Let’s start with the 8 axes. 

• Each trackball has 2 axes (the 2 trackballs have 4 axes in total).
• The additional small joystick also has 2 axes and
• The gyro-accel sensor adds 2 virtual axes.

And 15 buttons?

• 3 circle-shaped buttons are on the front panel of the controller.
• 2 trackballs can be used as buttons as well.
• Each position of the switch can be also a button. So, 3 switches x 3 positions = 9 buttons.
• Plus a shift-button which can give a second mode to each button and switch.

All in all we have 3+2+9+1=15 buttons.

Using GUI you can transform each button into a value of additional virtual axis. Or transform each axis into 2 buttons. This technically means that there are 19 possible axes OR 40 different buttons available with custom setup.

There is one Knuckles-5 which is pre-configured to mode #1, a USB cable for setup and charging, and an RX-module for RC model.

No. The signals to receiver and to computer are independent and always active.

Go to setup, press on check-box “Virtual axis” in “General menu”, then choose which axis it will be and set a button-trigger which will activate/deactivate this function.

No. Horizon will be set when you activate virtual gyro-accel axes. So you can sit below a tree or lay on a ground and choose the best option for you position of a hand.

Right now Mavlink control is available only via the joystick function. You can use MissionPlanner or QgroundControl to set it up and control drones via a telemetry modem.

When the main project is finished, we are going to develop a unit-booster, which will have an independent power supply and a possibility of direct connection for modem RFD900. It will be compatible with a main Knuckles-5 and all you need to start work with it is to update a firmware to Pro.

Sure. We are going to provide an online support for everyone who needs it!