Feature request: Integrate RADAR traffic (from NATS)

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Feature request: Integrate RADAR traffic (from NATS)

Author	Message
gerardflanagan	g gerardflanagan posted 3/24/2019 7:08:26 PM Topic Details Share Topic
g Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 10	NATS make their RADAR traffic available through their own app 'Airspace Explorer'. I feel it would improve safety in the air if this data could be integrated into SkyDemon. Would that be possible and advisable? I don't think they provide an API at the moment, but they might if you asked! Also, I think the data is lagged on the app but they might be able to reduce the lag if it comes straight from an API (and if they know it is now being used to assist safety, rather than just educationally by people on their sofas).
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Tim Dawson	Tim Dawson posted 3/25/2019 10:54:09 AM Post Details Share Post
Group: Forum Members Posts: 7.8K, Visits: 8.4K	How would you envisage this data being delivered to people when they are flying, given that there is no reliable internet connection?
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gerardflanagan	g gerardflanagan posted 3/25/2019 3:59:29 PM Post Details Share Post
g Group: Forum Members Posts: 7, Visits: 10	I think it could just exist on a 'best endeavours' basis i.e. it will display radar aircraft when there is an internet connection, and it won't when there isn't. As I understand it, we already accept a 'best endeavours' approach for ADS-B, where the signal can sometimes be lost. 90% of my flights are in London at or below 2,500ft. I presume I would have internet coverage for at least 50% of my flight (but maybe this presumption is incorrect?). For that use case, I feel having this additional data would be useful.
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georgebarlowr	g georgebarlowr posted 11/10/2021 10:55:11 PM Post Details Share Post
g Group: Forum Members Posts: 1, Visits: 0	+x gerardflanagan - 3/25/2019 3:59:29 PM I think it could just exist on a 'best endeavours' basis i.e. it will display radar aircraft when there is an internet connection, and it won't when there isn't. As I understand it, we already accept a 'best endeavours' approach for ADS-B, where the signal can sometimes be lost. 90% of my flights are in London at or below 2,500ft. I presume I would have internet coverage for at least 50% of my flight (but maybe this presumption is incorrect?). For that use case, I feel having this additional data would be useful. The service is run by radarbox.com, they already have an API. However, this would end up being very unsafe if implemented the way it is now, especially at the level of accuracy we have with self-hosted ADS-B receivers. An example of this is FlightRadar24, albeit it is very insightful and useful, it sometimes has a tendency to mislead with false position updates or no position updates at all of certain aircrafts. The best way to implement something that would give you the same data (though with a caveat of needing to own an onboard receiver and also only showing traffic within a confined radius of your position) would be using an onboard ADS-B receiver and feeding that data directly to SkyDemon through bluetooth or something of the equivalent. The reason why this could prove to be a better solution is generally this ADS-B like data received can be (in certain planes) derived from the transponder if capable, or by a certified handheld/mounted receiver. Hope this gives some food for thought on this topic.
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