Overview
At Vilros, one of the most rewarding parts of our work is hearing about the incredible things our customers create. In this post, we're highlighting three standout Raspberry Pi projects from the Vilros community.
Whether you're just getting started or looking for your next challenge, we hope these builds spark your imagination and inspire you to Make Something Amazing.
Project 1: Forest Livestream
Location: Eriegrove Private Forest Preserve (Forestville, New York)
Hardware: Raspberry Pi 5 with camera
YouTube channel: @Eriegrove
What they built
Eriegrove has a livestream channel on YouTube driven by Raspberry Pi, broadcasting 24/7 from their private forest preserve in Forestville, New York.
Why Raspberry Pi?
They're using a Raspberry Pi 5 because it has great capabilities for the price. Previously using a PC running OBS to broadcast the livestream, but it required a very powerful GPU. Since the livestream is 24/7, it was a lot of power to keep it going.
They learned how to use ffmpeg (the software that OBS uses for recording). The Raspberry Pi 5 can run this script continuously while using little power. Another factor is that the Pi will turn back on after it loses power, which allows the stream to return after a power outage.
Project 2: Plane Tracker
Maker: Bruce Butkus
Hardware: Raspberry Pi 4 with SDR antenna
Website: Imagingphototech.com
What he built
Bruce is using Raspberry Pi technology to manage his own plane tracking system contributing to FlightAware's global network. He also runs a weather station using 915MHz antenna and SDR.
Why Raspberry Pi?
Bruce had been planning to learn more about Raspberry Pi and what it could do as a mini computer. He also had a weather station working on radio signals, so he found both interesting as a tinkerer and used it to leverage himself time to work on learning Linux better.
He knew Raspberry OS was pretty simple but also had a base on Linux that would help him understand inner workings. He ended up learning so much more than expected: from setting up the plane tracker to learning how to install and run programs in the CLI, running remote systems through TailScale and SSH, and even doing light programming with AI to allow his Pi to auto-reboot if it loses internet trying to self-correct. It's become a fun little hobby.
Goals
Bruce's goal is accomplished at this point - he's just trying to deploy as many of these devices out there to get higher in the rankings of FlightAware feeders. With 7 deployments, he's within the top 25 in the world already. Maybe with a few more, he can break into the top 10!
He's also streaming his weather station using a 915MHz antenna and SDR. His station is out in his yard, and he can pick it up and publish real-time data to his site. Both run on the same Pi 4, off a USB-based NVMe drive.
Project 3: Home Automation
Maker: Ganesh Magal
Hardware: Multiple Raspberry Pi units with sensors and relays
Project examples:
What he built
Ganesh has been automating things around his home for years including car presence detection, using Raspberry Pi as a router, and comprehensive home automation with sensors and notifications.
Why Raspberry Pi?
Ganesh has been a Raspberry Pi enthusiast since its very first release in 2012 - so much so that he signed up for the waitlist to get one. What really drew him in was the aha moment of realizing he could get a full-fledged computer capable of running an entire Linux OS, all in a compact credit-card-sized form factor.
What makes the Raspberry Pi especially powerful is that it's not just a tiny computer - it also comes with GPIO pins allowing seamless integration of hardware. This blend of software and hardware capabilities opened up a world of possibilities. Unlike traditional microcontrollers, the Pi allowed development in any language preferred, not just low-level ones like C.
Main projects
One of the main projects that inspired using Raspberry Pi was building a custom home automation system from scratch - completely self-managed and not reliant on cloud services. Ganesh wired up end devices like reed switches on doors and garage, along with motion sensors and car parking sensors all directly connected to Raspberry Pi. He then wrote code to monitor these sensors and send real-time notifications via Telegram.
Beyond that, he even integrated the garage door opener and sirens into the system, giving full control over key aspects of the home - all powered by Raspberry Pi.
Goals
The primary goal was building a fully self-managed home automation system with control end-to-end - without relying on third-party cloud services or proprietary platforms. Ganesh wanted the flexibility and transparency that comes from owning and maintaining the entire setup.
By using Raspberry Pi, he aimed to create a system that is both powerful and customizable. It allowed interfacing with various sensors and writing custom logic to monitor them and send real-time alerts via Telegram.
Another key goal was to learn and experiment with hardware-software integration. The Raspberry Pi's combination of full Linux OS and GPIO access enabled going beyond just automation - integrating features like garage door control and sirens, providing a comprehensive, secure, and tailored solution for the home.
Ultimately, the goal was having a reliable, private, and scalable system that could continue to expand and improve over time, while deepening understanding of embedded systems and IoT.
By Zachary Strong