Raspberry Pi Forums

I want to complete a project using RPi to control a DSLR autonomously in remote locations. For a number of reasons including conserving solar power I would like to be able to send commands to a micro-controller that could shutdown and restart the Pi according to a script.

e.g.
7AM switch on Pi, take image, ftp/scp image via 4G, shutdown Pi.
7:15AM switch on Pi, take image, ftp/scp image via 4G, shutdown Pi.
...through to
5PM switch on Pi, take image, ftp/scp image via 4G, shutdown Pi until 7AM next morning.

I have the gphoto2 stuff working, looking into scp to replace ftp now, almost successful with 4G but I don't even know what keywords to Google for the micro-controller aspect.

Is there anybody that could at least point me in the right direction?

Use an Arduino, and a DS3231 real time clock chip.

Use the narcoleptic library to save Arduino power during sleep.

Use two Arduino GPIOs to control the Pi power (to turn it on) and to signal an orderly shutdown before turning it off.

Something like this maybe

https://twitter.com/RPiAOne

Or http://spellfoundry.com/products/sleepy-pi/

Sleepy-pi sounds like it is exactly what I need!

Thanks for your input. I will play and post my findings.

I did type another post to but it disappeared in the ether. Thanks to all responses. I will be following up all those leads.