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Connected Hangar: DIY Saves Money

Controlling devices inside and around your hangar remotely certainly has its benefits. We think rolling your own system makes sense for most.

Why not be able to open the hangar door from the airplane like you do at home in your vehicle? That vision from a Cirrus owner led to HangarBot.

Heat, air conditioning, lighting, engine heaters, security cameras—there’s big convenience in controlling these hangar systems remotely. There are two approaches to modern hangar automation: DIY with off-the-shelf tech or purpose-built aviation solutions.

Which you choose depends on budget, of course, because a DIY setup might cost around $500 for the hardware plus a cellular data plan. A fully integrated system, like HangarBot, could run over $2500, plus installation and monthly fees, while simpler systems that control an engine preheater might be substantially less. Here’s a primer to get you started.

Phil Lightstone

Contributor Phil Lightstone is a Canadian-based writer and podcaster, and flies a Rockwell 114 Commander.