Notify Hex Code Alerts with an ADS-B RPi Python Script

Introduction to ADS-B and Its Importance

Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) is a crucial technology in modern air traffic management. It allows aircraft to transmit their precise location and other information, such as altitude and velocity, to ground stations and other aircraft. This real-time sharing significantly enhances situational awareness for pilots and air traffic controllers, improving safety and efficiency in air space management.

One of the fascinating aspects of ADS-B is the capability to receive data about individual aircraft, specifically their hex codes—unique identifiers used in ADS-B transmissions. Tracking these identifiers can offer insights into aircraft movements and flight behavior, which can be particularly useful for aviation enthusiasts, hobbyists, or even developers seeking to build monitoring applications.

In this article, we will dive into how to create a Python script that runs on a Raspberry Pi. This script will listen for ADS-B signals and notify users when specific hex codes are detected. We’ll guide you through the necessary setup, coding process, and practical applications of this project.

Setting Up Your Raspberry Pi for ADS-B

Before we can start coding, we need to prepare our Raspberry Pi to receive ADS-B signals. First, ensure that you have a Raspberry Pi, preferably a model with built-in Wi-Fi or Ethernet capability, along with a compatible Software Defined Radio (SDR) dongle such as a USB DVB-T dongle. These devices will allow your Raspberry Pi to pick up ADS-B signals transmitted by aircraft.

To set up your Raspberry Pi, follow these steps: ensure your operating system is updated by running sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade. Then, install the necessary libraries. Start by installing dump1090, a popular software package for decoding ADS-B messages:

sudo apt install dump1090

Dump1090 will utilize the SDR dongle to receive data, storing it in a format that you can later access with your Python script. Make sure to run dump1090 with your dongle:

dump1090 -- loud --json

This command will start the dump1090 application, which decodes ADS-B packets and provides a JSON output that includes detailed information about the received aircraft.

Creating Your Python Script

With your Raspberry Pi configured to receive ADS-B signals, the next step is developing your Python script. We will use libraries such as requests for HTTP requests and json for handling the data received from Dump1090.

First, create a new Python file and import the required libraries:

import json
import requests
import time

Your script needs to continuously check for new messages coming from dump1090. To do this, you can set up a loop that fetches the latest data at regular intervals, where each iteration checks for the desired hex code. The hex code could be an aircraft identifier that you are particularly interested in tracking.

while True:
    response = requests.get('http://localhost:8080/dump1090/data/aircraft.json')
    data = response.json()
    # Process data here
    time.sleep(5)  # Check every 5 seconds

Once you have the aircraft data, parse through the JSON response to identify the presence of your desired hex code. This could be done by adding a simple condition within your loop:

for aircraft in data['aircraft']:
    if aircraft['hex'] == 'YOUR_HEX_CODE':
        # Notify user

Checking for Hex Code Notifications

To implement notifications, you might want to integrate an alert mechanism. You can use Python’s winsound (on Windows) or any notification library compatible with your environment. For example, on a Linux system, you could utilize notify-send.

import os

if aircraft['hex'] == 'YOUR_HEX_CODE':
    os.system('notify-send "Alert! Aircraft detected with hex code: ' + aircraft['hex'] + '"')

This will produce a desktop notification whenever an aircraft with the specified hex code is detected. Adjust the alert message to suit your preferences.

Running the Complete Script

Combine all the elements we’ve discussed to create a full script. Make sure to handle potential errors, such as network issues or unavailability of data. Here’s how you might structure the complete script:

import json
import requests
import time
import os

HEX_CODE_TO_NOTIFY = 'YOUR_HEX_CODE'

while True:
    try:
        response = requests.get('http://localhost:8080/dump1090/data/aircraft.json')
        data = response.json()

        for aircraft in data['aircraft']:
            if aircraft['hex'] == HEX_CODE_TO_NOTIFY:
                os.system(f'notify-send "Alert! Aircraft detected with hex code: {aircraft["hex"]}"')
    except Exception as e:
        print(f'Error: {e}')
    time.sleep(5)

This script will run indefinitely, checking for the desired hex code every five seconds. Make sure to replace ‘YOUR_HEX_CODE’ with the specific hex code you wish to track.

Real-World Applications of Your Alerts System

This Python script opens up several practical use cases. For aviation enthusiasts, being able to track specific aircraft in real-time can enhance their knowledge and engagement. Furthermore, developers can extend this basic functionality to create a more comprehensive monitoring system that might include logging data over time, filtering by altitude, or integrating with a web frontend for enhanced visualization.

For instance, you could save detected alerts to a database, allowing for historical analysis of aircraft movements. A web application could also provide a graphical interface to show the status of tracked hex codes and their recent flights. Libraries such as Flask can be used to develop a lightweight web server that displays this information visually.

Additionally, this script might also inspire other projects that utilize ADS-B data. Whether it’s developing a flight tracking app, contributing to open-source aviation data projects, or simply honing your Python skills, you now have a foundational tool to help you get started.

Conclusion

Creating an ADS-B notification system using a Raspberry Pi and Python can be a rewarding project for both beginners and seasoned developers. You now have the knowledge to set up your environment, develop a script that listens for aircraft with specific hex codes, and notifies you in real time.

Remember, the world of aviation technology is vast and offers many opportunities for exploration. Whether you’re trying to enhance your understanding of aerodynamics or simply tracking your favorite planes, using ADS-B data via Python is a fantastic skill to develop.

As you progress with your Python programming and work on further enhancements to your project, consider sharing your experiences with the community. Contributions to forums, tutorials on SucceedPython.com, or even drafting improvements to the script can all serve both your growth and that of aspiring developers.