AngelPilot

AngelPilot facilitates the use of charts and satellite imagery to assist the small boat navigator with pilotage. It has two key components:

1. A chart plotter specifically designed for pilotage, with the ability to add and display detailed notes, as well as the usual navigational aids (waypoints and routes). Boat position, speed and depth of water are derived from a variety of external sources. The plotter can open charts in BSB format (KAP files), GeoTIFF files, and geo-referenced satellite images generated by the application, Waypoints, routes, and notes can be saved and exported/imported using the GPX file format.

2. Chart creator: Allows the user to select satellite images and save them for loading into the chart plotter when offline. AngelPilot makes use of satellite images supplied through Apple's MapKit. Saving the images as straight Geotiff files would be in violation of Apple's terms and conditions of use, since the files could then be copied and distributed. For this reason files saved by AngelPilot use a proprietary format (.apc), and are stored encrypted with a key unique to the computer. This means that they can only be opened on the same machine as they were created.

Here are some of the features of AngelPilot:

- Optimised for pilotage using large scale charts
- Reads BSB(KAP) and GeoTIFF files including those produced by the NOAA
- Reads the excellent Antares charts (Very large scale, unofficial charts of Scottish waters produced by yachtsmen)
- Real time chart plotter displaying position, depth and speed
- Takes navigational information from NMEA messages across a network, or serial connection
- Can use the new SignalK standard for navigational information (the only MacOS app to do so)
- Turns satellite images into charts to supplement traditional charts
- Supports dual display of chart and satellite imagery
- Ability to georeference certain existing charts or satellite images
- Fully featured waypoint and route manager
- Imports and exports routes and waypoints in GPX format

Website: http://sailtrack.co.uk
User Guide: http://sailtrack.co.uk/help/AngelPilot/AngelPilotHelp.html
Antares Charts: http://www.antarescharts.co.uk