dump1090
A Mode S decoder for RTLSDR devices that decodes aircraft ADS-B signals with robust error correction and network streaming.
What is dump1090?
Dump1090 is an open-source Mode S decoder for RTLSDR devices that captures and decodes aircraft ADS-B signals transmitted on 1090 MHz. It extracts aircraft position, altitude, speed, and identification data from radio signals, enabling real-time aircraft tracking and monitoring. The software solves the problem of accessing aviation traffic data without expensive commercial equipment.
Aviation enthusiasts, hobbyists with RTLSDR devices, developers building aircraft tracking applications, and researchers needing affordable ADS-B data collection tools.
Developers choose Dump1090 for its robust weak-signal decoding capabilities, built-in network streaming features, and practical error correction that often provides better range than alternative decoders. Its simplicity and effectiveness make it a popular choice in the RTLSDR community.
Overview
Dump1090 is a simple Mode S decoder for RTLSDR devices
Use Cases
Best For
- Tracking local aircraft traffic with RTLSDR hardware
- Building custom aircraft monitoring dashboards with network data streams
- Collecting ADS-B data for aviation research projects
- Creating affordable aircraft tracking stations for educational purposes
- Integrating real-time flight data into home automation or notification systems
- Testing and developing Mode S/ADS-B decoding algorithms
Not Ideal For
- Commercial aviation operations requiring FAA-certified ADS-B equipment
- Web-only tracking projects without local radio hardware or RTLSDR devices
- Teams needing pre-built mobile apps or extensive GUI dashboards without custom development
- High-density traffic environments where CPU-intensive aggressive mode may cause performance issues
Pros & Cons
Pros
Uses visual analysis of message patterns for robust decoding, with users reporting improved range compared to other decoders, as highlighted in the README's reliability section.
Features TCP ports 30001/30002 for raw data and SBS1 format on 30003, plus an HTTP server on port 8080 with Google Maps display, enabling easy integration with custom applications.
Implements single-bit error correction via precomputed CRC tables, improving data accuracy in noisy conditions, though it can be disabled with --no-fix for reliability.
Decodes multiple DF formats including DF11 and DF17, using brute-force checksum methods for others like DF0 and DF4, as specified in the README.
Cons
The README admits that not everything is documented, relying on users to infer from help output or source code, which can hinder setup and troubleshooting.
Aggressive mode for better detection significantly increases CPU usage, making it advised only for low-traffic areas, as noted in the performance section.
Maintained as a hobby project with no formal testing, so claims of superiority are anecdotal, and support may be slow due to reliance on free time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Projects
pyModeSPython decoder for Mode S and ADS-B signals
readsbADS-B decoder swiss knife
plane-alert-dbA list of interesting aircraft - Governments, Dictators, Military, Historic and just plain odd.
flightmonSimple command-line "GUI" for showing current dump1090/readsb data
Found a gem we're missing?
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.