High Altitude Weather Balloon
Designed, launched, and recovered a high‑altitude weather balloon payload with active telemetry and onboard imaging.
Skills Demonstrated
- Embedded systems integration (ESP32, sensors, GPS, camera).
- Custom PCB design and power regulation for flight hardware.
- Telemetry pipelines and data visualization (LoRa + web app).
What (Problem & Context)
- Goal: launch and recover a payload with active telemetry transmission.
- Context: personal project with my brother.
- Outcome: 85‑mile flight to >60,000 ft ASL with recovered payload and imagery.
How (Process & Constraints)
- Payload: Raspberry Pi Camera v2, GPS, sensors, Li‑ion battery, custom PCB.
- PCB: ESP32 microcontroller, LoRa transmitter, temp/battery sensing, regulation.
- Mechanical: 3D‑printed enclosure with insulation for < −50 °C conditions.
- Ground station: React app to simulate/track launches with weather data.
- Live ops: 3D map tracking, sensor plots, and image downlink during flight.
Why (Results & Impact)
- Successful end‑to‑end flight with active telemetry and payload recovery.
- Captured high‑resolution images across the full ascent and descent.
- Built experience in PCB design, embedded systems, data transmission, and testing.
Team & Contribution
- Collaborated with my brother on payload design and testing.
- Contributions: payload architecture, PCB integration, telemetry workflow, and ground‑station development.
Media
