Developer Names: Zifan Si, Jianqing Liu, Mike Chen, Xiaotian Lou
Supervisor: Shahin Sirouspour
Date of project start: September 8th 2025
Project Overview: The goal of this project is to design and implement a deployable camera tracking system capable of autonomously locking onto and following extremely fast-moving model rockets. The system integrates computer vision, motion control, and a web-based operator interface to deliver smooth, stable video (1080p @ 60fps) of critical rocket events such as staging and parachute deployment.
This project builds a software stack that interfaces with low-cost hardware for small-scale launches (200m apogee) and is scalable to support the McMaster Rocketry Team’s high-powered rockets (3km+ apogee).
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Gimbal Motion Control
- Real-time two-axis gimbal control.
- Closed-loop predictive control system for smooth and accurate motion.
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Computer Vision Pipeline
- Detects and tracks fast-moving objects in real time.
- Maintains lock even with partial occlusion.
- Digital zooming and stablization.
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Web Application
- Live video feed preview.
- Operator controls for manual override and tracking adjustments.
- Start/stop video recording, playback, and download.
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System Integration & Deployment
- Real-time tracking video output at 1080p/60fps.
- Reliable and scalable for both small-scale and high-powered rocket launches.
- Designed for ease of use, testing, and future expansion.
The folders and files for this project are as follows:
- docs - Project documentation, design notes, diagrams
- refs - Reference materials (papers, hardware specs, related work)
- src - Source code for embedded system, CV pipeline, and web app
- test - Test cases, simulation data, and validation results