Track Farthest & Nearest Aircraft: ADS-B Stats Enhancement

Hey everyone!

There's a cool suggestion floating around to enhance the stats we get from ADS-B setups, particularly focusing on tracking the farthest and nearest aircraft detected. This idea builds upon the existing stat-tracking capabilities and aims to provide even more insights into the performance of individual ADS-B sites. Let's dive into the details!

The Idea: Enhanced "Record Holders" Section

The main proposal is to expand the "Record Holders" section of ADS-B stats to include:

• Farthest Aircraft Detected: The maximum distance at which an aircraft has been detected by the site.
• Nearest Aircraft Detected: The closest proximity an aircraft has been to the site.

This would give users a better understanding of their site's range and detection capabilities. Seeing how far your setup can reach or how close it can track is pretty neat, right? This functionality will provide valuable insights into the performance of individual ADS-B sites.

Delving into Farthest Aircraft Detection

Implementing the "farthest aircraft" tracking seems relatively straightforward. The system would simply need to monitor the distance of each detected aircraft and record the maximum value encountered. However, there are a few caveats to consider.

One challenge is handling combined feeds, where data from multiple sites is aggregated. In such cases, the "farthest aircraft" might not be representative of a single site's performance. Another issue is dealing with glitchy GPS data from certain aircraft, which can lead to inaccurate distance readings. Imagine a plane momentarily reporting a location at 0N, 0E – that would skew the results! To address these concerns, some filtering and validation of the data would be necessary. Specifically, some filtering for aircraft that have glitchy or jumpy GPS positions (e.g., general aviation) needs to be done to not have meaningless results from planes that report a location of 0N, 0E on one data packet and back to its correct location the next.

To ensure accurate and meaningful results, the system will require robust filtering mechanisms to identify and exclude erroneous data points caused by combined feeds or glitchy GPS data. Additionally, consideration should be given to implementing weighted averaging techniques to mitigate the impact of occasional inaccuracies, providing a more reliable representation of the maximum detection range of the ADS-B site. By addressing these factors comprehensively, we can ensure that the implementation of farthest aircraft detection provides valuable and trustworthy insights into the capabilities of individual ADS-B sites, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience and facilitating informed decision-making regarding antenna placement, equipment upgrades, and network optimization.

Tackling Nearest Aircraft Detection

Determining the "nearest aircraft" is a bit more complex than just looking at the distance. A plane directly overhead at 40,000 feet is technically farther away than one at 2,000 feet just 0.2 nautical miles away. To accurately assess proximity, a Line-of-Sight (LOS) calculation is needed. This calculation takes into account both the distance and altitude of the aircraft to determine its actual proximity to the receiver.

The Line-of-Sight calculation is easy to implement, however, it is uncertain if doing this would be within the scope of this project. In order to enhance the precision and dependability of our data, it's imperative to rigorously tackle the intricacies involved in determining the nearest aircraft, thereby augmenting the overall user experience. By delving into sophisticated techniques such as employing Kalman filters to smooth out noisy data, incorporating terrain masking effects to refine proximity estimations, and dynamically adjusting thresholds based on environmental conditions, we can substantially elevate the accuracy and dependability of our results. These proactive strategies not only boost the precision of our data but also furnish users with invaluable insights for optimizing the placement of antennas, pinpointing potential interference sources, and fine-tuning system configurations. Through a holistic approach encompassing advanced algorithms and thorough analysis, we empower users to unlock the complete capabilities of their ADS-B setups, fostering informed decision-making and cultivating a heightened sense of confidence in the data.

Implementation Considerations

To make this feature user-friendly and adaptable, it's recommended to implement it as an optional setting. This would allow users to choose whether or not they want to track these stats, as well as configure any relevant filtering parameters. Also, with an optional setting for the end user, the user has the freedom to choose what to track or not.

Benefits of This Feature

Adding these features would provide several benefits:

• Enhanced Understanding: Users would gain a better understanding of their ADS-B site's performance characteristics.
• Performance Monitoring: Track how site improvements (e.g., antenna upgrades) affect detection range.
• Comparison: Compare performance against other ADS-B sites (with appropriate caveats for different setups and environments).

Challenges and Solutions

• Data Accuracy: Filtering glitchy data and handling combined feeds are crucial for accurate results. Robust filtering algorithms and optional configuration settings can address these issues.
• Computational Cost: LOS calculations for nearest aircraft could add computational overhead. Optimizing the calculation and making it optional can mitigate this.
• User Interpretation: Clearly communicating the limitations of the data (e.g., the impact of combined feeds) is important to avoid misinterpretations.

Conclusion

Overall, the suggestion to track the farthest and nearest aircraft is a valuable one that could significantly enhance the usefulness and appeal of ADS-B stats. While there are some challenges to overcome, these can be addressed through careful design and implementation. By adding this feature, users would gain even more insight into the performance of their ADS-B sites, making the entire experience more rewarding and informative. I think this is a great add-on to an already impressive project. What do you guys think? Let's discuss in the comments below!

Thanks for reading!