Dave and his team launched the two Pis on helium balloons from Ross-on-Wye, whilst the BBC’s Liz Bonnin and Mark Thompson presented the show from the National Space Centre in Leicester. The Pis were equipped with cameras, one with a wide angle lens and the other with a zoom, and were programmed to take images and transmit them back to earth via a LoRa (Long Range) radio link.
As the balloons climbed to an altitude of around 31,000 metres, their cameras captured breathtaking footage of the eclipse from a unique perspective – a Pi’s eye view! The images were displayed on the live show and shared on social media, with viewers all over the UK and beyond tuning in to witness the eclipse from a whole new angle.
Dave’s project was a fantastic example of the versatility and potential of the Raspberry Pi, as well as the power of collaboration between amateur makers and professional broadcasters. His use of the Model A+ Pi demonstrated that even the smallest and most affordable Raspberry Pi can be used for high altitude balloon projects and other challenging applications.
Overall, the Pi’s eye view of the solar eclipse was a fascinating and visually stunning addition to the coverage of this natural phenomenon. Congratulations to Dave and his team on a successful project!