[APP][Pro] Virtual Radar App

Apps
,
1

VirtRadar
VirtRadar902×324 113 KB

This app (originally developed by @Gruijter and author of whole concept - THANK YOU ! :+1:) turns your Homey into an aircraft radar and tracker and you have basically two options :

a) Rely on ADS-B providers without having your own data feeder
b) Rely on ADS-B providers having your own data feeder

At this moment, two provides are supported :

  • Open Sky Network - both options a] and b]
  • ADS-B Exchange - paid subscription (starting at 10$/month)

You can add two device types :

  • radar - eg. you are interested what is in the sky above you
  • tracker - eg. you would like to track particular flight only

For the 1st option, https://opensky-network.org/, might be possibly the best solution.

  • OpenSky REST API — The OpenSky Network API 1.4.0 documentation
  • OpenSky registered users get 4000 API credits per day. For higher request loads please contact OpenSky.
  • Active contributing OpenSky users get a total of 8000 API credits per day. An active user is a user which has an ADS-B receiver that is at least 30% online (measured over the current month).

ADS-B feeder is not for you ?

Don’t be afraid to build one, it’s easy and cheap :

Now I’m feeding OpenSky, FlightAware and FlightRadar with the same setup.

Each of them has it’s specifics, different interfaces, statistics, advantages and disadvantages etc.

This is for example from OpenSky :

https://opensky-network.org/receiver-profile?s=-1408205003

Some local PIAWARE stats :

obrazek
obrazek1316×1187 185 KB

Currently only those two providers will be supported, in case of any error (eg. I don’t have ADS-B Exchange paid subscription), please provide me with debug logs, otherwise I can’t help you.

Note for OpenSKY users created mid-March 2025

opensky1

opensky2

2 Likes
2

Hi Gruijter,
We’re 6 Homey users here from Denmark who really would love that you continue this great app even though if this would be in a reduced form.
Eventually we might go the ADSB reciever path but for now the free source would be fantastic :slightly_smiling_face:

Again thanks for your good work :+1:

1 Like
3

Hi Robin, didn’t even know this app existed, but will check it out! I wouldn’t want a push message myself, but would definitely like to log air traffic over my house.
Would it be possible to maybe use the data from flightradar24.com?

4

I have just send them a message requesting a developer account. If I do get that, I will definitely look into integrating flightradar24.com. But it seems to be a subscribed service, and I’m not sure if they offer an API for me to work with, or only allow data access using their own app…

5

Very nice app so YES!

6

I think you mean yes continue (or yes, please stop?) :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

1 Like
7

:grinning: YES continue

8

I have the radar working again. I need to test it some more. I’m now working on the tracker. I hope I can finish a working version end of the weekend. (Unless the weather is too good :sun_with_face::sunglasses:)

1 Like
9

I finished the new app (sort of). It is probably quite buggy at the moment, and the new documentation isn’t done yet, but it should be workable.

Delete your existing radar/tracking devices, and add new ones!

Wait for the appstore release or get it now on Github: https://github.com/gruijter/com.gruijter.virtualradar

Please give me feedback if you like it, or if there can be improvements and on bugs found.

10

this would be great the data from rpi to Homey but is this possible?

11

Can you explain a bit more what you mean? @Victor

12

Thank you!

1 Like
13

i also use rpi and dongle as described here https://www.pd3rfr.nl/experimenten/raspberry-pi/vliegtuigen-volgen-met-ads-b-op-de-raspberrypi. it would be wonderful if this data could also be processed via homey or maybe even better data from this http://www.scannernet.nl/luchtvaart/militaire-luchtvaart. thanks for the app and the time you have put into it
Grt’s

14

Ah, ok! This would be possible now if you feed the rpi receiver data to ADSB-Exchange and/or OpenSky.

I might add FlightAware in a next release of the Homey app. The data on scannernet.nl seems to be coming from flightradar24. I have already sent them a request to get access for Homey, but their response is that they only have paid subscriptions :frowning:

By the way: I’m doing a multi-feed with all 3 services from my own rpi receiver. I use the setup from this site: https://www.adsbreceiver.net/

15

Anyone else having problems with tags not working? (opensky)

16

Thats part of the documentation i need to add :slight_smile: opensky only updates a small number of tags…

17

Ahh sorry, thought tags were source depending :slightly_smiling_face:
That said, no tags whatsoever works with opensky.
I can see dest./alt./speed/country via the device but not as tags via push…

18

Oh, ok. Will have to check that then. Thx 4 the feedback!

19

I made a new version 3.1.0

It has many (many!) fixes. @Emil_Lichtenberg The flow tags should work. Can you test please?

Also I’m really happy to say that I found some undocumented API calls at openSky. I had to reverse engineer some stuff to find that, but it works :slight_smile:)
This means that I was able to extend the openSky info to include the from and to airport, and the operator. This info is not available for all aircraft, but it will be used when available.

It is available now on github, or wait a few days for Athom to approve it in the appstore.

Have fun and let me know if you like my work :kissing_heart:

20

v 3.1.1 is pending approval by Athom. Just a small fix.