How to Build an ADS-B Receiver (Raspberry Pi + RTL-SDR)
You can build an ADS-B receiver for roughly the price of a small gadget: a Raspberry Pi, an RTL-SDR USB receiver and an antenna. Once running, it shows aircraft around you and can share data with tracking networks.
What you need
- A small computer. A Raspberry Pi 3, 4 or 5 is the common choice.
- An SDR receiver. A USB RTL-SDR dongle made for ADS-B, ideally with a built-in 1090 MHz filter to reduce interference.
- An antenna for 1090 MHz. A simple quarter-wave antenna (about 7 cm element) works; a purpose-made outdoor antenna is better.
- Cable and power. Use short, good-quality coaxial cable.
- A memory card and internet. For the Raspberry Pi’s software and to share data.
Prices vary and change; check local suppliers.
Steps
- Write a Raspberry Pi operating system to the memory card, using the manufacturer’s imaging tool.
- Plug in the SDR dongle and the antenna.
- Install receiver software such as readsb or dump1090 and a map page such as tar1090.
- Open the local map page in a browser. If aircraft appear, the receiver works.
- Install the feeder software for the networks you want to share with. See how to feed flight data.
Getting the best range
Antenna placement matters more than anything else; read best antenna placement.
Safety
Do not climb on roofs without proper safety equipment. Use outdoor-rated cable and keep connections dry.
General information only, not legal or safety advice. Details change; check with your airline and the relevant authority. See our editorial policy.