Windowseat - Python script that creates a video from a flight path

This Python script generates a video from a flight path by downloading satellite images from Mapbox API and stitching them together into a video using FFmpeg.

Requirements

• Python 3
• requests
• numpy
• FFmpeg

You will also need a Mapbox API key. If you don't have one, you can create a free account on their website to obtain it. Put it in the file mapboxkey

Usage

python fullflight.py start_airport end_end duration fps orientation

• start_location: The starting airport code (e.g., JFK).
• end_location: The ending airport code (e.g., LAX).
• duration: The length of the video in seconds.
• fps: The frames per second of the video.
• orientation: The orientation of the camera, either 'l' for left or 'r' for right.

Output

The script generates a video file named flight.mp4 from satellite images stitched together.

or use as library

import windowseat

# Retrieve coordinates for airport
start, end = windowseat.get_db("JFK","LAX") # returns lon, lat to please Mapbox api
# calculate flight path 
frames = 30 * 15 # fps * seconds
path = windowseat.get_points_on_line(start, end, frames)
# calculate initial bearing
heading = windowseat.get_angle_between_coordinates(start,end)
heading += 90 # for right window, or -= 90 for left
zoom = 11 # google maps standard heading between 1 and 22
for i, v in enumerate(path):
    windowseat.get_photo(v, zoom, "MAPBOX_API_KEY",heading,f"photos/{i:04n}")
# use ffmpeg to stitch together

Examples

SLC -> AUS

Credits

This script uses the Global Airport Database by Arash Partow to obtain the latitude and longitude of the airports and airnav.com for runway headings.

MIT License