Aircraft. Signals. Systems.
There’s more
to the track.
Every dot has a story. The interesting part is how it got onto the map.
A place for watching the sky and taking a closer look at the technology behind it.
Open the flight deskThe aircraft reports its position.
ADS-B broadcasts position from the aircraft’s navigation system, along with information such as identity and velocity. Ground receivers pick up those messages.
UPSTREAM / SPACE WEATHER
A check on the bigger picture.
Loading NOAA observations…
OUTSIDE THE WINDOW
Watch. Compare. Investigate.
Pan, zoom, and select an aircraft.
Live tracks, directly from the receiver network.
Map paused.
Select Resume map to reconnect.
Map and live data: Airplanes.live. Coverage depends on participating receivers. If the map is blank, use Open full map. The provider’s privacy and cookie policies apply.
Airplanes.live
A community receiver network for exploring aircraft tracks and the signals behind them.
ADS-B Exchange
Compare a track on another network. Look at the reported source, altitude, speed, and last-seen time.
Aviation Weather Center
NOAA’s aviation observations and weather products add context to what is happening overhead.
NASA’s research aircraft
Explore the flying laboratories and experimental aircraft used to test new ideas.
The embedded map is the provider’s free public view. Additional tracking services and reference material open in separate tabs.
READING THE PICTURE
A track is
a set of clues.
Start with the source of the position, then check when it was last received. A smooth line on a screen can conceal gaps in the observations.
Read how the network works ↗ADS-B / a broadcast position
The aircraft transmits its own navigation-derived position. That is different from a radar measuring where an aircraft is. FAA: ADS-B basics ↗
MLAT / a position inferred from timing
Multiple synchronized receivers compare the arrival times of a transponder signal to estimate its origin. It depends on enough receivers hearing the aircraft with useful geometry. Airplanes.live: tracking methods ↗
1090 MHz and 978 MHz / two U.S. links
1090ES and 978 MHz UAT are the two ADS-B links used in the United States. The frequency being received affects which messages a setup can hear. FAA: equipment and frequencies ↗
A gap / a reason to check coverage
A missing track can reflect receiver range, terrain, altitude, equipment, or network coverage. An empty patch of map is not proof of an empty patch of sky. Airplanes.live: coverage limits ↗
QUICK CONVERSION
Put speed in perspective.
km/h
mph
Unit conversion only. Groundspeed describes motion over the ground; it is not airspeed.
KEEP EXPLORING
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