Looking for ADS-B Data Sharing – Providing Free Receivers/Antennas

[flightradar24]

PPRuNe Approved Post - Rob

Hi all,

My name is Fredrik Lindahl and I’m part of the team behind the FlightRadar24.com website/iPhone app/Android app.

Our goal is to provide truly global coverage for our live airplane traffic service. We already have several hundred volunteers around the world that supply us with data, but we are always looking for more contributors.

We are currently focusing much of our attention on expanding our coverage in North America and we have receivers and antennas available primarily for North American locations where we lack coverage today.

If you are interested in our free equipment offer, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected]. The supply is limited but we will try to accommodate as many as possible.

If you already have ADS-B equipment and want to share data with us, please see Flightradar24.com - Watch live air traffic! (http://www.flightradar24.com/increase_coverage.php) for how you can contribute.

If you have any other questions or need further information, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thanks,

Fredrik Lindahl
[email protected]
Flightradar24.com - Live Flight Tracker! (http://www.flightradar24.com/)

[Groundloop]

Dear Mr Lindahl,

You are currently showing on your website a lot of air traffic over the UK. If you are receiving that information from "volunteers" with ADS-B receivers in the UK, are you aware that those "volunteers" are actually acting illegally under UK law?

[MAN777]

Groundloop

Whats the point of your post ?

This chap is asking for help in the USA.

Yes its illegal to make use of information received (don't remember the exact term) and probably uploading mode s data to the www is technically illegal, but so is listening to Airband and for that matter so is doing 40mph in a 30 zone.

Are you telling me that you have never broke the speed limit ? Thought not ! get a life & leave the guy alone.:)

[Shaman]

I have to say that I am addicted to FR24!

[flightradar24]

Regarding the legal situation in the UK, my interpretation is that although it is not illegal to sell, buy or own a scanning or other receiver in the UK, it must only be used to listen to transmissions meant for GENERAL RECEPTION. And (again, my interpretation I'm not aware of any legal precedent) ADS-B transmissions, are just that, meant for general reception.

[PT6A]

Fredrik,

It is illegal to operate an ADS B receiver in the United Kingdom. Unless each of your contributors is authorized by the secretary of state?

48Interception and disclosure of messages

(1)A person commits an offence if, otherwise than under the authority of a designated person—
(a)he uses wireless telegraphy apparatus with intent to obtain information as to the contents, sender or addressee of a message (whether sent by means of wireless telegraphy or not) of which neither he nor a person on whose behalf he is acting is an intended recipient, or
(b)he discloses information as to the contents, sender or addressee of such a message.
(2)A person commits an offence under this section consisting in the disclosure of information only if the information disclosed by him is information that would not have come to his knowledge but for the use of wireless telegraphy apparatus by him or by another person.
(3)A person does not commit an offence under this section consisting in the disclosure of information if he discloses the information in the course of legal proceedings or for the purpose of a report of legal proceedings.
(4)A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.
(5)“Designated person” means—
(a)the Secretary of State;
(b)the Commissioners for Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs; or
(c)any other person designated for the purposes of this section by regulations made by the Secretary of State.

[Nervous SLF]

I have just found the following link about this system. How true it is I am not expert enough to say but it made me wonder a bit.

ADS-B ... Terrorist's Dream, Security's Nightmare (http://www.airsport-corp.com/adsb2.htm)

The most worrying part starts from :-
This is Who I Am - This is Where I Am



I expect that I will get some grief about this but I feel it is worth bringing up anyway.

[Groundloop]

And (again, my interpretation I'm not aware of any legal precedent) ADS-B transmissions, are just that, meant for general reception.

I am afraid your interpretation is wrong. ADS-B transmissions are for aeronautical purposes only - just as pilot-ATC voice transmissions are.

[Hotel Tango]

Dear FlightRadar24, in the interest of FR24 I seriously recommend that you delete your post and not draw any further attention to yourself. Most aviation professional and enthusiasts around the world love FR24. However, it may be in your interest to remain as low profile as possible and not encourage all those holier-than-thou individuals to bite.

[DaveReidUK]

I have just found the following link about this system. How true it is I am
not expert enough to say but it made me wonder a bit.

ADS-B ... Terrorist's Dream, Security's Nightmare (http://www.airsport-corp.com/adsb2.htm)


The most worrying part starts from :-
This is Who I Am
- This is Where I Am



I expect that I will get some
grief about this but I feel it is worth bringing up anyway.

About 5 years ago, soon after the first consumer Mode S receivers became available in the UK, the late lamented News of the World ran a wonderful article about the scandal of their availability with the headline "Over the Counter Killer", accompanied by a great photo showing a chap with a shoulder-mounted missile launcher pointing it at a BA 757 on short finals, aided by his trusty Kinetic SBS - without which the aircraft would of course have been undetectable. :)

[Groundloop]

Most aviation professional and enthusiasts around the world love FR24.

Most aviation professionals I know hate FR24. Every time an aircraft has a minor problem that involves a turnback or diversion they get bombarded with silly questions or, worse, the media gets hold of it.

those holier-than-thou individuals to bite.

If politely pointing out the law makes one holier-than-thou then so be it!

[Smoketrails]

Groundloop,

BOOHOO to you too...

Sorry mods!

[Hotel Tango]

Most aviation professionals I know hate FR24. Every time an aircraft has a minor problem that involves a turnback or diversion they get bombarded with silly questions or, worse, the media gets hold of it.

:= Well, I'm an aviation professional and I have fun with it, not to mention finding it useful at times. So do many of my colleagues. The silly questions and media aspect you mention can be annoying I grant you, but having no SBS wouldn't deter them. I can recall reading a great deal of nonsense in the press and "silly" questions in PPRuNe long before SBS existed.

If politely pointing out the law makes one holier-than-thou then so be it!

With all due respect, would it not irritate you if I politely pointed out the law to you every time you exceeded the speed limit for example?

[PT6A]

I just think that those operating the website should of done some research before placing the information from the UK online.

Much the same as liveatc.net did, finding that it is ILLEGAL to receive this information in the UK.

Everytime an aircraft has a tiny incident, it is now front page news and exaggerated. Most of this is detected by things like flightradar 24.

[Hotel Tango]

I just think that those operating the website should of done some research before placing the information from the UK online.

I would argue that the onus lies with those SBS users residing in the UK and providing the data to FR24. From what I can gather, the site itself is not based in the UK.

[PT6A]

Yes, but there are other offences of rebroadcasting that data also.

[One Outsider]

With all due respect, would it not irritate you if I politely pointed out the law to you every time you exceeded the speed limit for example.If operating a vehicle was illegal you might have had a point. There appears to be no legal use of a SBS in the UK for the purposes described here.

The holier-than-thou attitude, or perhaps more accurately above-the-law attitude, seems to reside with those who knowingly disregard the law because they find it interesting or amusing and because they can.

They also seem to become rather testy rather quickly when reminded of this.

[Hotel Tango]

One Outsider, are you sure that you're not the one getting "testy"? The argument you use is in my opinion flawed. There is actually no law in the UK that states you cannot own an SBS unit. There might indeed be a law concerning its operation. Likewise, whilst you may legally own a vehicle, you are required to comply with all laws regarding its operation. Do you do this WITHOUT fail? And that is my point, if people want to preach to others about, for instance, legal breaches by SBS users they should first consider at just how many legal transgressions they make in their day-to-day lives. Many dismiss speeding as a minor offence. SBS doesn't kill. Speeding does!