AirTraffic Command Center

A real-time flight tracking dashboard that visualizes aircraft data from ADS-B receivers.

Overview

The AirTraffic Command Center is an educational tool that provides a web-based real-time dashboard for monitoring and analyzing aircraft movement. The application connects to a FlightAware ADS-B receiver to collect flight data and displays aircraft positions, detailed information, and flight paths on an interactive map.

This project is perfect for students interested in:

• Aviation data visualization
• RF (Radio Frequency) technologies
• Real-time data processing
• Interactive web applications

Features

• Real-time Aircraft Tracking: View aircraft positions on an interactive map
• Altitude-Based Coloring: Aircraft icons change color based on their altitude
• Flight Path Visualization: Toggle flight paths to see recent aircraft movement
• Detailed Aircraft Information: Click on aircraft to view comprehensive details
• Aircraft Search: Find specific aircraft by callsign or hex code
• Altitude Filtering: Filter aircraft by minimum altitude
• Distance Rings: Concentric circles showing distance in nautical miles
• Flight Statistics: Real-time statistics about maximum altitude, speed, and count

Prerequisites

• Python 3.7 or higher
• Flask
• A FlightAware ADS-B receiver (optional - sample data provided)

Installation

1. Clone this repository:

   git clone https://github.com/esmanish/flight.git
   cd flight

2. Install the required dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Configure the application:

   • Edit config.json to set your FlightAware receiver IP (default is 192.168.31.123)
   • If you don't have a receiver, the application will use sample data

4. Run the application:

   python server.py

5. Open your web browser and navigate to:

   http://localhost:5000
   

Project Structure

air-traffic-command-center/
├── server.py                  # Main Flask server
├── data_processor.py          # Aircraft data processing
├── config.json                # Application configuration
├── last_raw_data.json         # Last received raw data (for debugging)
├── requirements.txt           # Python dependencies
├── README.md                  # This readme file
├── static/                    # Static assets
│   ├── css/
│   │   └── style.css          # Application styles
│   └── js/
│       ├── dashboard.js       # Dashboard control logic
│       └── map.js             # Map and aircraft visualization
└── templates/                 
    └── dashboard.html         # Main dashboard template

Using the Dashboard

Map Navigation

• Zoom: Use the mouse wheel or the zoom buttons in the top left
• Pan: Click and drag to move the map

Aircraft Tracking

• View Details: Click on an aircraft icon or list item to view its details
• Center Map: Click the "Center Map" button in aircraft details to focus on that aircraft
• Show Paths: Toggle the "Show Flight Paths" checkbox to view recent flight paths

Filtering

• Altitude Filter: Use the slider to show only aircraft above a certain altitude
• Search: Type a callsign or hex code in the search box to find specific aircraft
• Reset Filters: Click the "Reset Filters" button to clear all filters

How It Works

1. The application connects to a FlightAware ADS-B receiver to get real-time flight data
2. The data processor extracts and formats the necessary information
3. The dashboard displays this information on an interactive map and in the sidebar
4. The data is automatically refreshed every 5 seconds

Troubleshooting

No Aircraft Appearing

• Check if your FlightAware receiver is correctly connected and operational
• Verify the IP address in config.json matches your receiver
• Ensure your computer is on the same network as the receiver

Application Won't Start

• Check if all dependencies are installed (pip install -r requirements.txt)
• Make sure port 5000 is not already in use
• Check for error messages in the terminal

Map Loading But No Aircraft Data

• Check the browser console for JavaScript errors
• Test the API endpoint directly by visiting http://localhost:5000/api/aircraft
• Check if last_raw_data.json contains valid flight data

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgements

• Leaflet.js for interactive maps
• FlightAware for ADS-B technology
• Bootstrap for UI components
• OpenStreetMap for map tiles