Build an Outdoor ADS-B Aircraft Tracker on a Budget

To help keep flights safe, an Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Brodcast (ADS-B) is sent out over radio waves by aircraft, with information like speed and callsign. As this data is simply broadcast in the 978 and 1090 MHz frequency ranges, hobbyists can pick up this flight data using a software-defined radio along with a computer to run it.

Such a computer would be small, inexpensive, and always-on, making this type of tracking suitable for a Raspberry Pi. In fact, instructions for how to configure your own via PiAware are found here, which looks fairly simple for an experienced Pi aficionado.

Ideally, such a setup needs a line-of-sight to the sky from your antenna, which would normally mean an outdoor waterproof enclosure. In the video below, Philip with Shuman Projects shows how to modify a purchased sealable “ammo can” style box for this purpose. He added three holes drilled in it for a 978 and 1090 MHz antenna, as well as a third for the power outlet.

Each of the openings is finished with PVC plumbing parts and sealant. While is should be fairly impervious to water entry, Philip puts a few desiccant packs in just to make sure stays dry. When finished, the box was placed on a roof vent, making it easy to feed the power cable in with no new roof holes. The ADS-B system looks like a great way to repurpose an old Raspberry Pi and the housing should be perfect for this use, or any other outdoor Pi project you can think of!