Implementation of Simultaneous Multi-Streaming of Live Solar Eclipse Video via 5.8 GHz AirMax

Abstract

For the 2017 solar eclipse ballooning, we have developed a video payload that can simultaneously live-stream multiple videos via a single 5.8 GHz wireless link through a Ubiquiti Rocket M5 modem. In this paper, we describe our approach to multiplex multiple video streams into a single data stream that a 5.8 GHz wireless modem can transport to the ground station. Various key factors are described to properly configure the Raspberry Pis and optimize the transmission from an M5 modem on the video payload over the 5.8 GHz link while ensuring adequate range and acceptable video quality received at the ground station. A screenshot of the multi-video streaming is provided as an example to justify a successful operation of our video payload.

Run-Time Estimation of a Battery-Powered Video-Streaming Payload for Balloon Flights

“…As one of the balloon flight payloads for the 2017 total solar eclipse [5] , a video-streaming payload was developed to capture the shadows of the solar eclipse and simultaneously live-stream multiple videos via a single 5.8 GHz wireless link. The payload consists of four Raspberry Pis, each with a Pi-camera and a webcam, a high-bit-rate network switch to multiplex all video streams from multiple cameras onto a single stream of data traffic, a 5.8 GHz Ubiquiti Rocket M5 modem to transmit the multiplexed stream of videos to the ground station [6] . For each Raspberry Pi, one Picamera and one webcam, and thus a total of eight cameras in the payload, were used to cover one of the four directions of north, south, east, and west from the payload orientation.…”