Airspace_Telemetry // The_Sky_Scanner
Stop guessing what just flew over your house. Implement a local radar system to track, filter, and visualize aircraft telemetry directly in Home Assistant.
We look up. We see a contrail or hear a low rumble. We ask: “Where is that going?”
Instead of fumbling for a phone app, we can integrate Real-Time Airspace Telemetry directly into our smart home core.
The driver
We do not want raw, noisy data. We need a filtered stream that answers a specific question.
While there are many ways to track flights in Home Assistant, my personal weapon of choice is the What’s that plane? integration.
I rely on this specific module because it simplifies the complex math of tracking. Instead of configuring generic sensors from scratch, it allows me to simply define a dynamic cone of detection—perfect for monitoring a specific flight corridor, such as an approach path to a local airport, without the hassle of false positives.
The filter logic
The core value lies in exclusion. We don’t care about a Cessna flying 10km away. We care about the heavy jet banking for a landing.
The integration allows us to chain logic gates:
- The Window: Only trigger if the plane is within a defined visible angle (azimuth).
- The Floor: Only track aircraft below a certain altitude (e.g., < 2000m).
- The Vector: Specifically monitor landing patterns (descending vertical speed) or take-offs.
Visual intelligence (the dossier)
This isn’t just about coordinates on a map. The sensor exposes a rich JSON object containing the entire narrative of the flight, not just its current location.
! It’s not just a dot on the map
You are viewing the complete “dossier” of the flight. Instead of an anonymous point, you see that Emirates Flight EK123 (Boeing 777) flying from Dubai to London is 15 minutes late, is halfway through its journey, and is currently descending over your roof. You aren’t staring at a dot; you are reading a story.
Using dynamic Markdown cards, we can visualize this data and even browse through its history:
- Full History & Context: It’s not just about “now.” You can look back in time—see where the aircraft was, how its altitude changed, and view its exact trajectory.
- Visual Identification: The system fetches a real-time photograph of the specific airframe (based on registration). You know exactly what the plane thundering overhead looks like.
- Visual Progress: Instead of dry numbers, you see an ASCII progress bar representing the journey from Origin to Destination, including a visualization of the remaining time.
- Operational Details: An instant overview of the flight status—delays, vertical speed, and whether it is already descending for landing.
Why is this cool?
It is the ultimate tool for anyone who has ever looked up at the sky and asked: “What is that flying there?” You get visual confirmation and context before you even spot the aircraft with your naked eye. For aviation enthusiasts, it’s the difference between “seeing a plane” and “knowing the plane.”