AeroScope leverages a worldwide network of community-operated ADS-B receivers to provide comprehensive flight tracking coverage across six continents.
ADS-B coverage depends on ground-based receivers operated by aviation enthusiasts and community networks around the world. Each receiver can detect aircraft within approximately 200-300 nautical miles, depending on antenna height, local terrain, and atmospheric conditions. By aggregating data from thousands of receivers across multiple networks, AeroScope achieves broad global coverage with strong redundancy in populated areas.
Excellent coverage across the continental United States and southern Canada, driven by a dense network of community receivers and strong ADS-B adoption following the 2020 FAA mandate. Coverage is comprehensive in the eastern and western corridors, with some gaps in sparsely populated areas of the Mountain West and northern Canada.
Outstanding coverage across Western and Central Europe, Scandinavia, and the British Isles. The adsb.fi network has particularly strong coverage in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Dense population centers across Germany, France, the UK, and the Benelux countries provide near-complete coverage. Eastern Europe has growing but less dense coverage.
Good coverage in Japan, South Korea, Southeast Asia, and coastal Australia. Growing coverage in India and China. Island nations across the Pacific have limited ground-based coverage, though space-based ADS-B via Aireon satellites provides ocean-area tracking for equipped aircraft at flight levels.
Moderate coverage in the Middle East (UAE, Israel, Turkey) and North Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa has limited coverage concentrated around major airports and population centers. Coverage is expanding as more enthusiasts contribute receivers to community networks in these regions.
Growing coverage in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Colombia. Urban areas and major airports have good coverage, while remote areas of the Amazon basin and Patagonia have limited ground-based receiver presence. The community network continues to expand across the continent.
Traditional ADS-B ground receivers cannot cover oceanic routes. However, space-based ADS-B through Aireon satellites on the Iridium NEXT constellation provides global coverage including transatlantic, transpacific, and polar routes. AeroScope focuses on ground-based coverage within receiver range of landmasses.
A community-driven ADS-B network with roots in Finland. Known for particularly strong coverage across Scandinavia and Europe, with a growing global receiver network. Provides high-quality, low-latency data through a well-maintained infrastructure. Open and community-focused with no commercial filtering.
A global ADS-B mirror network providing broad worldwide coverage. Aggregates data from community receivers across all continents, serving as a reliable secondary source for cross-validation and gap-filling. Focused on open data access and community participation.
An academic research network based at the University of Applied Sciences in Switzerland. OpenSky provides ADS-B data specifically designed for research purposes, with historical data archives going back several years. Particularly valuable for academic research and long-term analysis projects.
Anyone can contribute to global ADS-B coverage by setting up their own receiver. It is surprisingly affordable and straightforward:
Total cost: approximately $40-140 depending on the components you choose. Many ready-to-go kits are available from retailers that include everything needed. Placement matters: the higher you can mount the antenna (rooftop, attic, upper floor window), the better your coverage radius will be. A well-placed antenna at 30 feet elevation can typically see aircraft out to 200+ nautical miles.
Once running, you can feed your data to community networks like adsb.fi, adsb.lol, and others, directly contributing to the global coverage that platforms like AeroScope depend on.