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Overview
This document explains how to capture and decode live aircraft ADS-B signals using RTL-SDR and dump1090.

Prerequisites Table
Category Component / Tool Description
Hardware RTL-SDR USB Dongle A software-defined radio receiver used to capture raw RF signals from aircraft (ADS-B at 1090 MHz).
Hardware Antenna (1090 MHz) Specialized antenna tuned for ADS-B frequency to improve signal reception and range.
Software Kali Linux (or any Linux OS) Operating system used to run SDR tools and perform signal decoding.
Software dump1090 Tool ADS-B decoder that converts raw SDR signals into readable aircraft data (flight ID, position, altitude, etc.).

Optional (You Can Add Below Table)
Category Optional Component Purpose
Hardware External High-Gain Antenna Improves range and signal clarity (especially for long-distance tracking).
Software Flight Tracking Websites (e.g., FlightAware) Used to verify captured flight data with real-world information.

Prerequisite Knowledge

• Basic Linux commands
• Understanding of radio frequency basics
• Awareness of aircraft tracking systems
  How Flights Operate (ADS-B)
  Aircraft broadcast ADS-B signals containing position, altitude, and identity on 1090 MHz. These are unencrypted.
  Tools Used
• RTL-SDR USB Dongle
• Antenna (1090 MHz)
• Kali Linux
• dump1090 software tool

Knowledge Base:
Dump1090 is an open-source software used to decode ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast) signals transmitted by aircraft.
Aircraft continuously broadcast their:
⦁ Position (Latitude & Longitude)
⦁ Altitude
⦁ Speed
⦁ Flight ID
⦁ Direction (Track)
These signals are transmitted over 1090 MHz radio frequency.
dump1090 takes raw radio signals captured by an SDR device and converts them into human-readable flight data.

Why is dump1090 Required?
Without dump1090:
⦁ RTL-SDR only captures raw radio signals (I/Q data)
⦁ You cannot understand or interpret aircraft data
With dump1090:
⦁ Raw signals ➝ Decoded aircraft information
⦁ Binary RF data ➝ Structured flight details
[Download from:
⦁ https://github.com/antirez/dump1090]

Hardware to buy:
Buy RTL-SDR Dongles (RTL2832U)
RTL-SDR Blog V3 R860 RTL2832U 1PPM TCXO HF Bias Tee SMA Software Defined Radio with Dipole Antenna Kit : Amazon.in: Electronics

Demo
Step 1: Connect RTL-SDR
Plug in the RTL-SDR device.

Step 2: Navigate to dump1090
cd dump1090
[Download from:
https://github.com/antirez/dump1090]

Step 3: Run Tool
./dump1090 –interactive

Step 4: Observe Output
You will see aircraft data like ICAO, flight number, altitude, speed, coordinates.

Step 5: Extract Coordinates
Example: 13.019, 80.206

Step 6: Validate in Maps
Paste coordinates in Google Maps.

Step 7: Cross Verify Flight
Check flight ID on FlightAware.

Conclusion
Successfully tracked real-time aircraft using SDR.