ESP32 Plane Radar: Building a Live ADS-B Aircraft Tracker

ESP32 Plane Radar: Building a Live ADS-B Aircraft Tracker

Overview

The ESP32 Plane Radar is an open-source project that converts an ESP32-C3 microcontroller and a 1.28-inch round display into a live aircraft radar. The device pulls nearby Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) traffic data, plots aircraft by distance and bearing, and displays flight details on a sonar-style interface.

Hardware and Assembly

The build is designed for rapid assembly, requiring minimal soldering. Key hardware components include:

  • Microcontroller: ESP32-C3
  • Display: 1.28-inch round display
  • Cabling: Thin, silicone-based wires

Firmware installation is streamlined via the browser-based ESPHome web flashing tool, which allows the device to be flashed in under 30 seconds.

3D Printing Considerations

While the project was originally featured on MakerWorld, the author noted that the original 3D model's tolerances were too tight for some board batches. As an alternative, the author utilized a model by "ThePrintableWatch" specifically designed for the ESP32-S3 1.28" Waveshare Plane Radar.

Firmware Enhancements and Customization

Custom modifications to the original firmware have expanded the device's utility beyond simple aircraft tracking. Key improvements include:

  • Enhanced Flight Context: Where data is available, the display now shows origin and destination instead of just tail numbers, using callsigns as a fallback. Aircraft types are now more descriptive (e.g., B737-800 instead of B737).
  • Integrated Environmental Data: The display now includes local weather, temperature, humidity, time, and date.
  • Improved Configuration Interface: The web interface now allows users to modify coordinates after the initial setup. Display options—including units, runways, weather, temperature format, and 12/24-hour time—can be changed without resetting the Wi-Fi configuration.
  • UI Adjustments: Default text size has been increased by 10%, and a persistent slider (80–130%) has been added for manual text adjustment.
  • OTA Updates: The firmware now supports authenticated Over-the-Air (OTA) updates, enabling browser-based installation of future builds without requiring a USB connection.

Technical Analysis and Community Insights

Data Sourcing vs. Hardware Radar

Community discussion highlights a critical technical distinction: the device is a radar display rather than a radar emitter. It does not actively scan the skies; instead, it pulls data from ADS-B services (such as adsb.fi).

"ADS-B is not radar, despite ATC calling these sorts of things ‘secondary radar’."

Users noted that an ESP32 would lack the processing power required to receive and decode raw ADS-B signals directly from the air, which typically requires more robust hardware like a Raspberry Pi running dump1090.

Alternative Implementations

Several users shared similar projects and alternative approaches:

  • Mobile Apps: Projects like skyoverhead provide similar flight identification capabilities via a mobile interface.
  • Multi-purpose Displays: Some users have integrated aircraft tracking into broader smart home setups using ESPHome and Home Assistant, triggering aircraft displays only when flights enter a specific airspace.
  • Hardware Alternatives: Some builders use a Raspberry Pi with a dedicated antenna to receive raw signals, though many eventually switch to API-based services for more comprehensive tracking information.

Sources