There was a cheap Chinese dual band mobile on the market a couple years ago that used an Android phone and Bluetooth for the control head. I would post a link if my memory would serve me. The operational aspects were desirable but it was just another CCR as far as the radio unit. Still an attractive idea.
Using an Android device opens up the possibility of leveraging the Infotainment system of newer cars or the use of a cheap tablet with a large screen. It also eliminates the requirement to design a plastic box for a control head made with a cobbled up Arduino/Pi and touchscreen. Someone on another group has done this to control a Uniden scanner and the plastic control heads were 3D printed and did not hold up well to heat.? Putting the microcontroller? in a metal box near the drawer unit and use BT/Android to facilitate the user interface would be better in my humble opinion.
Thinking way out of the box because I am not a programmer beyond a simple PICAXE design.
Could the solution for FPP be in simply switching the radio to programming mode and loading channel 1 from the GUI? The GUI would have to emulate the RD.EXE RSS. This includes option support like MPL and scan etc..
How many times could this be done without damaging the EEPROM? Could a replacement EEPROM be installed that will tolerate such abuse?
Taking this further, the entire codeplug could be programmed from the GUI in a batch. The codeplug and firmware should be upgraded for 8K / 64 mode at minimum, but 32 mode could be supported.? "Control Head" channel labels could be handled in the GUI. The GUI could store banks of 64 or 128 mode code plug configurations to be programmed at will.
RFI-EMI-GUY