Back to Flight Tracking
If you’ve ever tracked a flight on FlightAware®, then you’ve seen the FlightFeeder® network in action.
What is a FlightFeeder device?
Behind every moving aircraft icon is a global infrastructure of more than 43,000 active FlightFeeder devices with representation in 200 countries and territories. A FlightFeeder device helps FlightAware track your flight. The receiver devices listen for radio signals from ADS-B aircraft transponders (primarily broadcast on 1090MHz and optionally 978 MHz in the US), decodes them to determine aircraft positions, and securely forwards the data to FlightAware servers.
Anyone can host a FlightFeeder device. It’s usually as simple as installing an antenna with a clear view of the sky and connecting the receiver to a power source and the internet.
Click here to read our recent blog and learn more about the ADS-B network.
Building the network
The FlightAware team recognized early on that ADS-B’s broadcast architecture presented a significant opportunity. Unlike traditional radar, which remains a fundamental element of aviation surveillance, ADS-B transmissions can be received with relatively simple, affordable hardware. Rather than build a network of ground stations, FlightAware invited aviation enthusiasts around the world to become part of the infrastructure itself.
In 2008, FlightAware deployed its first FlightFeeder prototype. In August 2014, the company released PiAware—software that allows users to transform a Raspberry Pi single-board computer and a software-defined radio (SDR) receiver into a home-based ADS-B ground station that feeds live data into the global FlightAware network. Today, these volunteers form the backbone of one of the world’s most widely distributed flight tracking networks.
The concept is straightforward: aircraft equipped with ADS-B Out continuously broadcast data such as position, barometric and geometric altitude, ground speed, flight track, and aircraft identification. Those broadcasts are transmitted on two primary links: 1090 MHz (1090ES) used worldwide and 978 MHz (UAT) used in the United States for certain operations. Ground receivers pick up these broadcasts and forward the data to FlightAware, where it’s processed and displayed in real time.
Coverage is shaped by simple physics: ADS-B is a line-of-sight radio signal. Antenna height, local terrain, and nearby sources of radio frequency noise all influence how far a receiver can see. In strong installations, a FlightFeeder device can receive aircraft over 250 nautical miles away. That’s why even a single well-placed receiver can make a meaningful difference—especially near airports, coastlines, or other areas where additional low-altitude coverage can improve the overall tracking picture.
How the network increases coverage
What makes this distributed network powerful isn’t any single station—it’s how thousands of stations work together. More receivers mean more overlap, and more accurate time stamping, redundancy, and opportunities to enhance tracking when conditions are challenging.
One example is multilateration (MLAT), which can help estimate the position of certain aircraft that are transmitting Mode S replies but may not be broadcasting full ADS-B position. When multiple receivers (typically three or more) receive the same transmission, FlightAware can use Time Difference of Arrival (TDOA) techniques to compute a position solution—essentially triangulation using precise timing rather than angles.
As the network grows, MLAT capability can expand in tandem. Each additional receiver can fill coverage gaps and strengthen timing geometry—particularly around busy terminal areas where more receivers can help improve traffic visibility and surface-adjacent operations.
The network of community-operated receivers complement other surveillance and data sources that FlightAware integrates. This multi-source approach adds resilience and helps deliver a consistent tracking experience for travelers and operators.
Interested in Learning More?
If you’d like to explore hosting a FlightFeeder device—or find out more about how the FlightAware ADS-B network works—see details and resources here: FlightFeeder program page.
We are currently looking for hosts in key areas in North America and South America.
Network Resources
FlightAware maintains a library of resources for network participants, including an ADS-B FAQ section and knowledge base with step-by-step configuration and troubleshooting guides. To explore real-time network activity, visit the ADS-B Statistics page for current data on active sites, countries represented, and positions processed.
To learn more about FlightAware’s tracking capabilities and data services, visit flightaware.com.
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