Flightrader24

Flightradar24 is one of the best web applications to come along in a while. It allows you to live track every aircraft equipped with an ADS-B transponder,which for Europe is about 90% of all airplanes. It’s easy to use,clean and it doesn’t require so much effort from the CPU, even in the highest visualization conditions where hundreds of flights are shown and animated at the same time. The web version is completely free, while mobile apps for iOS and Android cost a few bucks, as well as the Mac OS X application.

The primary technology used to receive flight information is called automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B).

1. Aircraft gets its location from a GPS navigation source (satellite)
2. ADS-B unit on aircraft transmits signal containing about the location (and much and more)
3. ADS-B signal is picked up by a receiver connected to Flightradar24
4. Receiver feeds data to Flightradar24

Today, roughly 60% of all passenger aircraft (70% in Europe, 30% in the US) are equipped with an ADS-B transponder. This percentage is steadily increasing as ADS-B is set to replace radar as the primary surveillance method for controlling aircraft.

Flightradar24 covers about 90% of Europe. There is also some coverage in USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, Middle East, Japan and other partsaround the world.

How cool is that? You can find out more by clicking HERE.