Skywatchers, Rejoice with This Easy-to-Use Aircraft Tracker!
A budget-friendly plane tracking system is now within reach, thanks to a project showcased by Israel Brunini. This innovative setup leverages an affordable security camera, an Arduino Nano, and a Raspberry Pi.
The essence of the system revolves around a reappropriated security camera, from which stepper control wires are identified and connected to the Arduino Nano. The Arduino, in turn, directs the motor movements. To provide the system with accurate location data, a Raspberry Pi processes Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) data, identifying nearby aircraft.
A distinctive feature of the system includes an overlay that professionalizes the overall appearance, integrating the aircraft's azimuth, elevation, and distance information.
For those eager to build their own version of this tracking device, Israel Brunini's GitHub page offers detailed information and code. On a different note, if tracking planes becomes less engaging, consider tuning the system to track celestial bodies with the help of an open-source star tracker.
Thank you to Israel Brunini for the tip.
Key components of the system are the Arduino Nano, Raspberry Pi, a reused security camera, and basic electronics. The assembly process begins by disassembling the security camera, connecting the motors to the Arduino, integrating the Raspberry Pi, and establishing communication between the two microcontrollers.
After setting up the software, the camera output is linked to a display or computer, and the flight information is overlaid. Calibration and testing follow, ensuring that the camera movements accurately correspond to the aircraft's position.
The project showcases the combination of hardware hacking, open-source software, and real-time data processing, creating a cost-effective plane tracking system.
- To delve deeper into the construction of the plane tracking system, you can refer to Israel Brunini's detailed information and code available on his GitHub page.
- This affordable plane tracking device can be expanded beyond aircraft tracking; for instance, it can be adapted to track celestial bodies using an open-source star tracker.
- The core components of Israel Brunini's plane tracking system include a reused security camera, the Arduino Nano, Raspberry Pi, and fundamental electronics, with the assembly process entailing the identification and connection of wires, microcontroller integration, and software setup.
