Digital Bearing Compass

Transform your iPhone or iPad into a high-precision bearing compass. Use Augmented Reality (AR) for instant cross bearings, position fixing, and distance calculations—100% offline, subscription-free, and fully private.

Are you a pilot, sailor or an outdoor adventurer ? Then the Digital Bearing Compass augmented reality app will be a valuable tool for you. Aim at objects in sight and directly read the true and magnetic bearing. Then you can check your bearings on the map. In addition, the current position, including the altitude above sea level is displayed.

Or you can set a fix in the map view. Bearing and distance to the fix is constantly computed. In the camera view, the difference angle between current bearing and the fix is also displayed. There is also a red marker at the location of the fix in camera view displayed by augmented reality technology.

Since version 3.x you can also set a mark on the current location. This mark is also displayed in the camera view. The app shows the distance and bearing to this marked location.

By taking 2 bearings or by using the fix, you can measure the angle between 2 points or objects ... if you are a sailor or yachtsman, you know what you can do with this information. You can use them directly for navigation, since this corresponds to the functionality of a sextant. You can also use trigonometry to determine the size of a distant object. By getting 2 bearings you can also apply the method of cross bearing directly. The bearings are automatically saved, so they will be available when you start the app the next time.

Benefits:

- The App uses the high-tech sensors of your iPhone or iPad to measure orientation, device and declination (the angle between the direction to Geographic North and Magnetic North, pilots call it variation).

- Augmented reality technology, available since iOS 11. The app will also be continuously improved, further developed and equipped with new features.

- You can switch between camera mode and map mode.

- The angle between 2 points or objects can be measured.

- A fix can be set in map view which is shown also in camera view.

- You can set a mark on the actual position. This mark is also displayed in the camera view.

- The position and direction of the bearings and the fix are drawn in the map.

- This way a cross bearing is possible.

- day/night mode

- you can choose between different coordinate formats

- you can choose between different distance and altitude units

- the cardinal directions are shown in the camera view


No matter if you are a pilot, seal, scientist, astronomer, technician, geographer or outdoor athlete, you will find the app extremely valuable for your orientation and navigation. And it is fun.

Please note that some sensors require a time to calibrate. Sometimes it might be the case that after starting the app, for a few seconds a wrong direction will be displayed. The camera should be moved slowly back and forth in this case so that the device can perform the calibration.

The app needs the permission to use the GPS. No data will be sent from the app to the outside world.

The app also uses augmented reality, a brand new technology which is supported only by the newest devices. You need at least an iPhone 6s or later, an iPad pro 2nd generation or later, or an iPad 2017 or later. Future devices will all support augmented reality.