Currently, during flights, wireless data connection between a ground center and an aircraft uses satellite communication links. These links are limited in the available data rate. They also may not be always available or not be desired to be established during the full length of a flight for commercial reasons. These constraints are limiting the capability and use of such connections for transmission of video streams. First approach to consider these constraints is to limit the needed data rate, which results normally in reducing the image resolution and frame rate of the transmitted video and to drop video transmission when the satellite link is not available. The present proposal improves the provided constraints by storing and transmitting single still images. Storage and transmission can be initiated automatically or manually. Still images can be captured with a higher resolution plus a general better image quality and thereby allow e.g. identification of details not recognizable in a resolution limited video stream. Also a set of still images can be easily stored without the large storage needed even by a limited video stream. Storing the images allows to transmit them when a connection becomes available or they can be downloaded by a non-satellite communication means when on ground. This may allow documentation of events without the need to install a video recording solution.
展开▼
