Developer Przemek Wasinski has automated plane spotting using a low-cost software-defined radio and a motorized camera. This system picks up aircraft's ADS-B signals to automatically pinpoint their location and direct the camera accordingly.
How it Works
Wasinski explains, "Aircraft in flight continuously broadcast information about themselves, including their location. These radio signals use a technology called ADS-B. My system receives these signals using a 1090MHz radio antenna." The signals are processed by Dump1090 software, decoding the radio messages and converting the data into JSON format.
Technical Details
Wasinski's setup comprises two parts:
- The first part uses a low-cost RTL-SDR to receive ADS-B transmissions, decode them, and plot the plane's location on a two-dimensional map.
- The second part brings this location data back to reality using a Raspberry Pi HQ Camera Module and a Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. A telephoto lens is fitted to the camera.
Wasinski adds, "When an aircraft is close enough, Plane Tracker will send its latitude, longitude, and altitude to PlaneCam. PlaneCam will then move the camera on the motorized pan-tilt mount to aim at the aircraft and take a picture." The picture is analyzed with OpenCV to verify if a plane was captured, and the results are sent back to PlaneTracker.