In this micro lecture, Professor Roland van Rijswijk-Deij explains how, with a bit of technical knowledge and curiosity, you can build your own flightradar. And why would you do that? Simple: because building it yourself is much more fun than just clicking around on a website!
Why build your own flightradar?
Building your own flightradar is not just a fun and educational project, but it also provides insight into how open data and technology work together to power complex systems. You can track aircraft in real-time, and see where they’re coming from and where they’re heading. Why wait for updates from others when you can track it yourself?
With a relatively simple setup, you can collect, process, and visualise flight data yourself. And the best part? Everything you need is freely available – from radio signals to the software needed to decode them.
How does a flightradar work?
All commercial aircraft constantly transmit short radio signals that are freely available. These digital signals contain essential flight data such as GPS position, altitude, speed and heading. The principle is simple: receive the signals, decode them, sort them, and plot them on a map. And voilà – your very own local flight radar!
The process works as follows:
- Receiving signals: You’ll need a radio receiver capable of detecting 1090 MHz signals. A popular choice is a Software Defined Radio (SDR).
- Decoding data: A Raspberry Pi (a small but powerful microcomputer) processes the received signals and converts them into usable data.
- Visualising data: The information is analysed and displayed on a map on your laptop. Add some aircraft icons, and you have a complete radar screen.
What do you need?
For less than €200 you can build a working system. This includes an SDR receiver, a Raspberry Pi and the necessary software. Of course, you won't be able to fix that in an afternoon. But for a curious hobbyist with some programming knowledge, this is certainly an achievable project.
Want to get started yourself?
All the necessary technical information is freely available on the internet. With some experimenting, you can build your own flight radar and start mapping the airspace above your home.
Watch Professor Roland van Rijswijk-Deij’s micro lecture and discover how you can start building today!
