Live radar screen showing air traffic
A screen showing planes flying above the user's location in real time — position, altitude, speed, and heading — on a circular radar display like those in control towers. The data comes from a flight-tracking service over Wi-Fi, so no antenna or receiver is needed.
The problem
Real radar projects need an ADS-B receiver and antenna, which aren't available locally and are expensive, and reception requires a license in some countries. A promising project ends up stalling over a part that can't be obtained.
How it works
- Fetching dataThe controller requests data on aircraft within the set coordinate range from the tracking service.
- ConversionEach aircraft's coordinates are converted into a distance and angle relative to the user's location.
- DrawingAircraft are drawn as dots on a circular radar screen with range rings.
- UpdatingThe scan repeats every few seconds, and paths leave trails on the screen.
Project features
- A real circular radar screen showing range and angles and updating continuously, instead of a list of numbers.
- Data comes from a global tracking service, so the project works from day one with no antenna needed.
- A side table lists the detected aircraft with their altitude and speed.
- An interface running on a large touch screen, suited to project exhibitions.
Parts
All the parts you need in one place. Remove what you already have, and swap parts to fit your budget. Parts with a photo are available in our store at their current price.
Prices are estimates and may change. Parts marked “other supplier” are ordered outside our main store.
Expected challenges
These are the main obstacles to expect during the build, laid out clearly so you know them before you start.
- Tracking services limit the number of requests, so caching and spacing out requests are needed.
- Drawing on a large screen is slow if every frame is redrawn from scratch, so partial updates are needed.
- The controller's memory gets tight as aircraft reach dozens, so a maximum and clearing old data are needed.
- The 7-inch screen needs a stable power supply separate from the controller.
The consultation gives you a solution for each one.
Similar projects
Projects close to this one in idea or parts. Check the differences before deciding, and borrow ideas you can add to your own project.
Students' experiences
Add a comment on the idea: +2 points. Or share your experience with photos of your build: +10 points. Every 50 points become a JD 5 discount voucher on parts orders.
Need solutions to the challenges and a complete technical path?
In the consultation we give you a solution for each challenge above, plus a practical build plan from the first step to the last: technologies, libraries, wiring diagram, timeline, and tips for the defense.
- Consultation session
- PDF with solutions and a plan
- 20 د.أ فقط