Track Airplanes Overhead with ADS-B and an RTL-SDR
Receive aircraft position broadcasts on 1090 MHz and see a live radar map in your browser.
Most aircraft broadcast their position, altitude and speed on 1090 MHz. A $40 software-defined radio and a Pi decode them into your own flight tracker — the same principle as the big tracking websites.
Video tutorial
Video by Let's Look At Stuff, embedded from YouTube. The written steps below are our own and match the parts list.
Mission steps
Choose the software
The free adsb.im feeder image sets up a decoder, map and optional feeding to aggregator sites from a web page. Or install readsb and tar1090 manually on Raspberry Pi OS.
Connect the radio
Plug the RTL-SDR into a USB port (a short USB extension reduces interference) and connect a 1090 MHz antenna.
Place the antenna high
Height and a clear view of the sky matter more than anything. A window or attic works; a rooftop is best.
Open the map
Browse to the Pi's address to see aircraft with altitude, speed and call sign.
Share (optional)
Feeding data to community networks often unlocks free premium accounts.
Questions
Is it legal to receive ADS-B?
In the U.S. and most countries, receiving these public broadcasts is legal. Never transmit on aviation frequencies.