PyCon APAC 2025

Have you ever wondered why people photograph airplanes?

It's not just a hobby! it’s a passion for many, even i have that one friend that will wait for hours just to see airplanes or even just Trains, in the hot sunny day. so, For this project, the goal is to create an automated system that not only tracks airplanes but also aligns a camera to capture their photos accurately.

in this fun yet interesting talk we will cover some key points :

1. The Objectives of This Project

2. Approaches to Tracking Planes

   To track planes, there's two main methods:
   1. Aviation Tracking APIs like OpenSky Network or ADS-B Exchange, which provide real-time flight data.
   2. Software-Defined Radio (SDR) for enthusiasts who want a more hands-on approach to decoding plane signals from the air.
   Each approach has its pros and cons, but both allow us to get the real-time coordinates and altitude of airplanes flying overhead.

3. The Devices We Use

   the main devices:
   1. ESP32: A powerful and cost-effective microcontroller for communication and control. and obviously because ESP32 supports Python language.
   2. Raspi camera : a decent quality camera, that fits this project.
   3. Raspberry Pi: For additional data processing if needed.
   4. We also use another components like servo motors to align the camera, creating a setup that can dynamically track and photograph planes, and SDR (if we use it).

4. The Calculations Behind the Scenes

   Now, how does the camera know where to point?
   We use mathematical calculations based on:
   The GPS coordinates of the plane and our camera’s location.
   Altitude and azimuth angles derived from this data.
   For example, the elevation angle helps us determine how high to tilt the camera, and the azimuth angle tells us the direction. These calculations allow the camera to stay aligned on the plane as it moves.

5. The Future Potential of This Project

   Imagine taking this project further:
   Integrating machine learning to detect and classify different airplane models.
   Building a cloud-based system for enthusiasts to share real-time photos and data.
   Enhancing the setup with night vision or thermal cameras for 24/7 operation.
   or even monitoring airplane but through visual and not just positional data or the parameters. thus can gave us more useful data for monitoring
   Beyond plane spotting, these techniques can inspire applications in wildlife photography, security, and event monitoring.

at the end of this talk, i would be happily answers attendees questions!