An ESP32 based plane radar for my desk
A hobbyist project uses an ESP32 microcontroller and a small display to track and visualize nearby aircraft using ADS-B data. The author details the hardware build process and software improvements made to the project.
Why it matters
It demonstrates the accessibility of IoT hardware and open-source tools for personal engineering projects.
This project made for a perfect lazy Saturday unwind, after a busy week giving a talk at Devrelcon in NYC . Makerworld had this thing as one of their featured models about a week or two ago, and the parts came in while I was away.
Plane radar is a neat little project that turns an ESP32-C3 and a 1.28-inch round display into a live aircraft radar. It pulls nearby ADS-B traffic, plots each aircraft by distance and bearing, and shows the details directly on the screen.
It was an easy build, although it did require a little soldering. I always enjoy doing that as it reminds me of my days building racing drones. Thin, silicone based wires made quick work of the cabling. And after about 15 minutes, we were ready to go.
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