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`
Did you ever want to create an ultra-long time-lapse without special equipment? I'm using here a
GoPro Hero5 Black ..which as of 2025 is already very old :)
This project provides a Python-based solution to automate the entire workflow, with the help of a Raspberry Pi (v4 in this case).
It handles wifi switching between the rpi and the GoPro, configurable periodic photo captures,
keeps the system time in sync and even sends alerts if something goes wrong. Most of this is configurable.
Designed to run continuously with the help of timelapse.service, it ensures the timelapse runs
smoothly for extended periods with minimal intervention (hopefully none).
This was designed for a six month timelapse, taking three photos per hour. But feel free to adapt it.
This is where we spend most of the time. We check if it's time to take a photo or time to keep the wifi alive.
The script starts in WAITING, and connects to the GoPro wifi. Every 5 seconds, it checks if is time to take a photo.
If it’s not time, it will call keep_alive() and keep the GoPro wifi available. This is the most important part of the
script because the GoPro will go to sleep after a few minutes of inactivity. If this happens.. there's no way to get it
back. See the error handling, lower. But, as the script is written now, this doesn't happen even if the power goes out
for 1..2 minutes.
When it's time to take a photo, the script transitions to TAKE_PHOTO. If the rpi isn’t on the GoPro wifi, it switches,
wakes up the camera, takes a photo, then we transition to SEND_UPDATE.
Once a photo is taken, the script switches to your router wifi (SEND_UPDATE), synchronizes the system time, and sends
a status push to user, saves the state and then switches back to the GoPro wifi (WAITING) to keep it alive.
If there is a file missing, we can't sync the time.. or we get (mostly) any other error, the script doesn't fail. BUT!
If we can't connect to the GoPro wifi.. which is the most important thing, the script goes to ERROR where retries a
few times, and if it is still failing.. it goes into OFFLINE_ALERT. This means it sends push notifications every twenty
minutes, until connectivity is restored. But this needs user intervention. Unfortunately, the GoPro can't be 'restarted'.
Or, I couldn't find a way to do this.
So, if you're going to use this script, you need to be aware of this!
A systemd unit file timelapse.service runs this script at boot. Beware of permissions and all that.
Also, there's a crontab that makes sure this doesn't get stuck in a GoPro operation. I've removed the photo count,
for example, because this will get stuck, every now and then, with no warning. And it'll halt the script. But the cronjob
will restart the service if it's not writing in the logs for more than 40 seconds.
The rpi is isolated most of the time, from the outside world. That's why we sync the time and we send push notifications
once an hour. This is to make sure the rpi is still alive and kicking. If we need to change the behavior remotely, we can
create an AWS server that can be checked every time we 'surface' and if so, we download and replace the new config.
Unless you keep the setup in a remote location.. or need to vary the time, this is not needed. But it's an idea.
This would be nice if you also add video capabilities and you want it to take a video when you're not around.
But, if you do have an use-case where you have to mess with the config remotely, then you can move some of those values in
the keep_alive array, to the photo_timer array. Keep track of these and make sure the downtime is not too long! Some
testing needs to be done, but it should work without any other changes. The thing is.. the GoPro will go to sleep after a
few minutes of inactivity. Even if you leave it turned on. I kept saying this.. you need to keep the wifi alive.
If you tick the box in the Quick App, that says it'll never go to sleep.. it won't, but the wifi will. And you can't wake
it up remotely. So.. just keep the wifi alive.
Right. I'll stop now.
Check the specs folder to see how one-hour cycle looks like.
Don't try to get a count of the photos. It'll get stuck. Randomly. I've removed that part.
Passwords are base64 encoded. There's a script that does this for you. Use it. Don't keep pwds in plin text. Not cool.
Enjoy! :)
P.S. If you're gonna' whine about the monkey-patch or the ASCII art.. save it!
I like it.