Radarcape:Ideas for Applications

Network Streaming or USB output

The most simple and versatile: Replacing the combination of Mode-S Beast and Xport and simply forwarding of all Mode-S frames to USB or a local network, even parallel or multiple pathes. This is what we have available on the existing test units. This means that the AVR- or binary format frames are without preprocessing transmitted on either Ethernet or USB virtual COM port. Main advantage here is that there is no longer a capacity bottleneck as it is with the Xport (due to its maximum 921600bit/sec data rate).

On-The-Fly Data Filtering and Compression

Prefiltering and compression of information that is sent to the main processor. This might be of interest when the unit is operated remotely with slow speed links, even GPRS or UMTS. When beeing used at remote locations or behind slow speed internet connections, it might be useful to limit the information by filters, and/or compress the data so that a minium only is beeing transmitted to the host.

Preconverted Data Formats

The Radarcape due to its processing capacity can act as a low cost Asterix CAT 21 decoder or do about the same as a so called “Port 30003 Server”

Sharing Network Server

Standalone data gathering for sharing networks. You no longer need to run a power consuming PC in order to supply data to your favorized sharing network.

Data Recorder

Data recording or event recording using the local SD card or an external mass storage connected via USB

Standalone Use

On top of the Beaglebone/Radarcape one can install available LCD monitors, and have a small GPS navigator size standalone unit.

Parallel Demodulation of Other Signals

ACARS and VDL can be demodulated/decoded with the Beaglebone's 100kSample ADC.\\It might be an idea to connect a SDR receiver like the Funcube dongle to the USB port and use this with some SDR software like GNURadio in order to receive air traffic, ACARS, VDL and similar.

Standalone Web or Google Earth Server

On a development platform based on the previous product I have already seen an application which displays the sky occupation on just a web browser. So all you need for this is putting the Radarcape somewhere on the world, and you either connect to it with a web browser or download a Google Earth KMZ continuously and you keep up to date. See an early example on the right side, click on it for getting it full scale. This image was totally produced on the receiving system, and I only used Firefox in order to get the display.

Of course this can become expanded until the clients exchange their information internally.

Peer-to-peer Multilateration

The Radarcape will be designed to provide timestamps as accurate as possilble and synchronized with GPS. At least three Radarcapes at decent locations will exchange their information and with simple triangulation they can localize all non-ADS-B traffic in addition to the already known aircraft. Planeplotter already does something in this kind, so maybe the Radarcape can become included into this network or even act as a standalone data processor inside it.