RTL-SDR: Tracking airplanes for $16

In my last post I showed you how you can run a software defined radio easily on a Mac OS X Yosemite. In just a few more steps you can also track commercial airplanes in your area with the same device you can buy here (affiliate link) with free shipping.

Install the software

First of all, follow the guide in this post to install MacPorts, GQRX and the drivers to run the software defined radio.
Once you have done this then download this zip file:
and unpack it
cd dump1090-master
make
./dump1090 --interactive --net
Then you should see something like this:

And if you open your browser at http://localhost:8080 you can see even an animated map of the constantly updated airplanes:

 

blank
Posted by Daniel Eichhorn

Daniel Eichhorn is a software engineer and an enthusiastic maker. He loves working on projects related to the Internet of Things, electronics, and embedded software. He owns two 3D printers: a Creality Ender 3 V2 and an Elegoo Mars 3. In 2018, he co-founded ThingPulse along with Marcel Stör. Together, they develop IoT hardware and distribute it to various locations around the world.

Leave a Reply