Curious About the Sky? There’s an App for That
Residents in New Jersey have been buzzing about sightings of what they describe as “giant drones” flying at night. While some of these mysterious sightings are just regular commercial flights, there’s an easy way to identify them: flight tracking apps.
Apps like Flightradar24, Plane Finder, and FlightAware allow users to track real-time air traffic and see what’s flying overhead. These tools provide details on commercial, private, and even some unmanned aircraft, helping to demystify what’s in the sky.
How Flight Tracking Apps Work
With these apps, you can access a map of your location and view live air traffic, complete with specifics like altitude, speed, and destination. For private aircraft, registration codes are also displayed. Some apps, like Flightradar24 and Plane Finder, even let you use your phone’s camera to point at an aircraft and instantly identify it—even in the dark. It’s like having a “Shazam for airplanes” in your pocket.
Sky-Watching: A Growing Hobby
Flightradar24 tracks over 200,000 aircraft daily, making it a popular tool for aviation enthusiasts. For instance, when a U.S. Air Force plane carrying former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi landed in Taiwan in 2022, over 700,000 people tracked the event live through the app.
These apps rely on data transmitted by most aircraft, known as ADS-B data, collected from ground stations, satellites, and other sources. However, not all aircraft are trackable—small hobby drones and certain military planes, such as Air Force One, are often excluded for security reasons.
Expert Tip for Better Tracking
If you’re struggling to locate a plane using the app, try zooming out on the map. Many aircraft are farther away than they appear to the naked eye, making them harder to pinpoint initially.
Flight tracking apps have transformed how we interact with the skies, making it easy and fun to identify aircraft and understand their movements. Whether you’re solving the mystery of a “giant drone” or just indulging your curiosity, these tools put the world of aviation at your fingertips.
Source: CNN
