A WiFi-connected LED display for aviation sectional maps that shows real-time flight conditions at airports using color-coded LEDs.
The LED Sectional automatically fetches current weather data (METARs) from aviationweather.gov and displays flight conditions on your sectional map:
| Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Green | VFR - Clear skies, good visibility |
| Blue | MVFR - Marginal conditions |
| Red | IFR - Instrument conditions |
| Magenta | LIFR - Low IFR, poor conditions |
| Yellow | High Winds - VFR with winds over 25 knots |
| White Flash | Thunderstorms reported |
| Off | No data available |
Weather updates automatically every 15 minutes.
- Controller board - ESP8266-based (Wemos D1 Mini Lite recommended), or purchase a pre-made kit
- LED string - WS2811 or WS2812 LEDs (one per airport)
- Power supply - 5V DC, sized for your LED count
- USB cable - For initial setup (must support data, not charge-only)
You'll need a framed sectional chart with holes drilled at each airport location. See the full build guide for detailed instructions on creating your map.
- Visit the LED Sectional Configuration Tool
- Connect your controller via USB
- Click the Firmware tab
- Click Install Firmware and follow the prompts
After installing firmware, the controller needs your WiFi credentials:
- Keep the USB cable connected
- In the Configuration Tool, click Connect
- Go to the WiFi tab
- Enter your network name and password
- Click Save - the device will reboot and connect
Note: The controller only works with 2.4 GHz WiFi networks.
- In the Configuration Tool, go to the Airports tab
- Add airports in order matching your LED string (LED 1 first, LED 2 second, etc.)
- Use standard ICAO codes (e.g., KSFO, KJFK, KORD)
- Click Save to upload to the device
Special codes:
NULL- Skip an LED (leave it off)VFR,MVFR,IFR,LIFR,WVFR- Legend LEDs that always show that colorWBNK- Wind blink demo - alternates between green and yellow (requires "Alternate Colors" setting enabled)
Disconnect USB, connect your 5V power supply, and mount your sectional!
- Check that your power supply is 5V and has enough current for your LED count
- Verify the data wire is connected to the correct pin (GPIO 14 / D5 by default)
- Make sure the LED string and controller share a common ground
- Use Chrome, Edge, or Opera (Safari and Firefox don't support Web Serial)
- Try a different USB cable - some cables only carry power, not data
- Close any other programs that might be using the serial port
- Confirm your network is 2.4 GHz (5 GHz is not supported)
- Double-check the password
- Move the controller closer to your router during setup
- The airport may not have recent METAR data
- Verify the ICAO code is correct at aviationweather.gov
In the Configuration Tool's Settings tab, you can adjust:
- Brightness - LED brightness level (0-255)
- Wind Threshold - Wind speed that triggers yellow color (default: 25 knots)
- Lightning Animation - Enable/disable flashing for thunderstorms
- High Wind Indication - Enable/disable yellow for high winds
- Light Sensor - Enable automatic brightness based on room lighting (requires additional hardware)
The LED Sectional can integrate with Home Assistant for smart home control. Once configured, your sectional appears as a light in Home Assistant where you can:
- Turn the display on/off
- Adjust brightness
- Include in automations (e.g., dim at night, turn off when away)
To set up, go to Settings > Advanced Settings in the Configuration Tool and enable MQTT. Enter your Home Assistant's MQTT broker address and credentials. The device will automatically appear in Home Assistant via MQTT Discovery.
- Full Build Guide - Detailed instructions for building your sectional
- Kit Information - Pre-made electronics kit
- Contributing & Development - For developers who want to modify the code
- Inspired by this Reddit post and Dylan Rush's blog
- Weather data from aviationweather.gov
- Web flashing powered by ESP Web Tools