Live Flight Radar Scanner, a ESP32 project

This project turns an M5Stack Core Basic into a live flight radar scanner that displays aircraft in your area. The ESP32-powered device connects to Wi-Fi and fetches real-time aircraft data, showing callsigns, altitudes, speeds, distances, and bearings on the built-in display.

The guide includes a complete parts list, wiring diagram for the M5Stack's ILI9342C display, Wi-Fi configuration steps, and firmware with aircraft tracking logic. Assembly takes minutes—just power the M5Stack via USB, enter your Wi-Fi credentials and scan location, and watch aircraft appear on the flight screen as they pass overhead.

Wiring diagram

Assemble it in 4 steps

1. Check the M5Stack

Use an original M5Stack Core Basic with its screen, three front buttons, and Wi-Fi antenna already built in. This project does not need a separate sensor, receiver, or any jumper wires.

The whole flight display is inside the M5Stack case, so leave the Grove socket empty for this project.
Do not connect loose wires to the screen pins inside the case — they are already connected and an incorrect connection can damage the device.

2. Give it USB power

Plug a USB-C cable from the M5Stack into your computer or a normal 5 V USB power supply. The cable powers the device and lets Schematik place the program on it.

Use a cable that carries data as well as power when you are ready to press Deploy.
Do not use a damaged cable or a power supply with an unknown voltage — the M5Stack expects normal 5 V USB power.

3. Set your Wi-Fi and scan location

Before deploying, replace YOUR_WIFI_NAME and YOUR_WIFI_PASSWORD near the top of the program with your home Wi-Fi details. Replace the central London latitude and longitude numbers with the place you want the radar circle centered on.

A phone map can show the latitude and longitude for your home, airport, or another place you want to scan around.
Use a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network: the original M5Stack cannot join a 5 GHz-only network.

4. Use the flight screen

After deploying, wait for the M5Stack to join Wi-Fi and download the first aircraft list. Press the left front button marked A whenever you want to request an early update; otherwise it updates about once a minute.

Yellow dots on the green circle are aircraft positions. The list at the right shows their call signs, distance, altitude, and speed.
This is a public internet data display, not navigation equipment. Do not use it to make safety or flight decisions.

Deploy the firmware

main.cppOpen in Schematik

#define TFT_DC 27
#define TFT_RST 33
#define TFT_BL 32
// Browser builds use this empty entry point. The physical M5Stack Core Basic
// uses the ESP32 branch below, including its built-in ILI9342C display and buttons.
#if !defined(ESP32)

struct Aircraft { char callsign[12]; float latitude, longitude, altitudeM, speedMps, headingDeg, distanceKm, bearingDeg; };


// Forward declarations
void cmd(uint8_t c);
void data(uint8_t d);
void window(int x0,int y0,int x1,int y1);
void fillRect(int x,int y,int w,int h,uint16_t color);
void pixel(int x,int y,uint16_t c);
void lineH(int x,int y,int w,uint16_t c);
void circle(int cx,int cy,int r,uint16_t c,bool solid);
uint8_t seg(char ch);
void glyph(int x,int y,char ch,uint16_t c,int s);
void text(int x,int y,const String &s,uint16_t c,int size);
void displayBegin();
float degreesToRadians(float d);
float distanceKm(float a,float b,float c,float d);
float bearing(float a,float b,float c,float d);
void drawScreen();
void connectWiFi();
void fetchAircraft();

void setup() {}
void loop() {}
#else
#include <Arduino.h>
#include <SPI.h>
#include <WiFi.h>
#include <WiFiClientSecure.h>
#include <HTTPClient.h>
#include <ArduinoJson.h>
#include <math.h>

// M5Stack Core Basic (original Core) built-in hardware pins.
const int TFT_CS = 14, TFT_DC = 27, TFT_RST = 33, TFT_BL = 32;
const int BUTTON_A = 39;
const char *WIFI_SSID = "YOUR_WIFI_NAME";
const char *WIFI_PASSWORD = "YOUR_WIFI_PASSWORD";
const float SCAN_LATITUDE = 51.5074f;
const float SCAN_LONGITUDE = -0.1278f;
const float SCAN_RADIUS_KM = 80.0f;
const unsigned long REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS = 60000UL;
const int MAX_AIRCRAFT = 12;

const uint16_t BLACK=0x0000, WHITE=0xFFFF, CYAN=0x07FF, GREEN=0x07E0;
const uint16_t DARK_GREEN=0x03E0, YELLOW=0xFFE0, GREY=0x7BEF, RED=0xF800;

Aircraft aircraft[MAX_AIRCRAFT];
int aircraftCount = 0;
unsigned long lastRefresh = 0;
String statusLine = "Starting...";
bool previousButton = true;

void cmd(uint8_t c) { digitalWrite(TFT_DC, LOW); digitalWrite(TFT_CS, LOW); SPI.transfer(c); digitalWrite(TFT_CS, HIGH); }
void data(uint8_t d) { digitalWrite(TFT_DC, HIGH); digitalWrite(TFT_CS, LOW); SPI.transfer(d); digitalWrite(TFT_CS, HIGH); }
void window(int x0,int y0,int x1,int y1) { cmd(0x2A); data(x0>>8);data(x0);data(x1>>8);data(x1); cmd(0x2B);data(y0>>8);data(y0);data(y1>>8);data(y1);cmd(0x2C); }
void fillRect(int x,int y,int w,int h,uint16_t color) { if(x<0){w+=x;x=0;} if(y<0){h+=y;y=0;} if(x+w>320)w=320-x; if(y+h>240)h=240-y; if(w<=0||h<=0)return; window(x,y,x+w-1,y+h-1); digitalWrite(TFT_DC,HIGH);digitalWrite(TFT_CS,LOW); for(long i=0;i<(long)w*h;i++){SPI.transfer(color>>8);SPI.transfer(color);} digitalWrite(TFT_CS,HIGH); }
void pixel(int x,int y,uint16_t c){fillRect(x,y,1,1,c);}
void lineH(int x,int y,int w,uint16_t c){fillRect(x,y,w,1,c);} void lineV(int x,int y,int h,uint16_t c){fillRect(x,y,1,h,c);}
void circle(int cx,int cy,int r,uint16_t c,bool solid=false) { int x=r,y=0,e=1-r; while(x>=y){ if(solid){lineH(cx-x,cy+y,2*x+1,c);lineH(cx-x,cy-y,2*x+1,c);lineH(cx-y,cy+x,2*y+1,c);lineH(cx-y,cy-x,2*y+1,c);}else{pixel(cx+x,cy+y,c);pixel(cx+y,cy+x,c);pixel(cx-y,cy+x,c);pixel(cx-x,cy+y,c);pixel(cx-x,cy-y,c);pixel(cx-y,cy-x,c);pixel(cx+y,cy-x,c);pixel(cx+x,cy-y,c);} y++; if(e<0)e+=2*y+1;else{x--;e+=2*(y-x)+1;} } }

// Compact seven-segment-like text is sufficient for labels and live call signs.
uint8_t seg(char ch){ if(ch>='0'&&ch<='9') return (const uint8_t[]){0x3f,0x06,0x5b,0x4f,0x66,0x6d,0x7d,0x07,0x7f,0x6f}[ch-'0']; if(ch>='A'&&ch<='Z'){ const char* letters="A B C D E F G H I J L N O P R S T U Y"; const uint8_t vals[]={0x77,0x7c,0x39,0x5e,0x79,0x71,0x3d,0x76,0x06,0x1e,0x38,0x54,0x3f,0x73,0x50,0x6d,0x78,0x3e,0x6e}; int n=0; for(int i=0;letters[i];i++){if(letters[i]==' '){n++;continue;}if(letters[i]==ch)return vals[n];} } return ch=='-'?0x40:0; }
void glyph(int x,int y,char ch,uint16_t c,int s){ if(ch==' '){return;} if(ch=='.'){fillRect(x+2*s,y+6*s,s,s,c);return;} uint8_t v=seg(ch); if(!v)return; int t=s; if(v&1)fillRect(x+t,y,3*s,t,c);if(v&2)fillRect(x+4*s,y+t,t,3*s,c);if(v&4)fillRect(x+4*s,y+5*s,t,3*s,c);if(v&8)fillRect(x+t,y+8*s,3*s,t,c);if(v&16)fillRect(x,y+5*s,t,3*s,c);if(v&32)fillRect(x,y+t,t,3*s,c);if(v&64)fillRect(x+t,y+4*s,3*s,t,c); }
void text(int x,int y,const String &s,uint16_t c,int size=1){for(unsigned i=0;i<s.length();i++){glyph(x+i*6*size,y,s[i],c,size);}}
void displayBegin(){ pinMode(TFT_CS,OUTPUT);pinMode(TFT_DC,OUTPUT);pinMode(TFT_RST,OUTPUT);pinMode(TFT_BL,OUTPUT);digitalWrite(TFT_BL,HIGH); SPI.begin(18,19,23,TFT_CS); digitalWrite(TFT_RST,LOW);delay(20);digitalWrite(TFT_RST,HIGH);delay(120); cmd(0x01);delay(150);cmd(0x3A);data(0x55);cmd(0x36);data(0x28);cmd(0x11);delay(120);cmd(0x29); }
float degreesToRadians(float d){return d*PI/180.0f;}
float distanceKm(float a,float b,float c,float d){float dl=degreesToRadians(c-a),dn=degreesToRadians(d-b),q=sinf(dl/2)*sinf(dl/2)+cosf(degreesToRadians(a))*cosf(degreesToRadians(c))*sinf(dn/2)*sinf(dn/2);return 12742.0f*atan2f(sqrtf(q),sqrtf(1-q));}
float bearing(float a,float b,float c,float d){float n=degreesToRadians(d-b),y=sinf(n)*cosf(degreesToRadians(c)),x=cosf(degreesToRadians(a))*sinf(degreesToRadians(c))-sinf(degreesToRadians(a))*cosf(degreesToRadians(c))*cosf(n);float r=atan2f(y,x)*180.0f/PI;return r<0?r+360:r;}
void drawScreen(){ fillRect(0,0,320,240,BLACK);text(8,5,"LIVE FLIGHT RADAR",CYAN,2);lineH(0,27,320,GREY);const int cx=85,cy=137,r=75;circle(cx,cy,r,DARK_GREEN);circle(cx,cy,r/2,DARK_GREEN);lineH(cx-r,cy,2*r,DARK_GREEN);lineV(cx,cy-r,2*r,DARK_GREEN);circle(cx,cy,3,WHITE,true);text(cx-3,cy-r-11,"N",GREEN);text(4,216,"RANGE "+String((int)SCAN_RADIUS_KM)+" KM",GREEN);for(int i=0;i<aircraftCount;i++){float a=degreesToRadians(aircraft[i].bearingDeg-90),p=min(aircraft[i].distanceKm/SCAN_RADIUS_KM,1.0f)*r;circle(cx+(int)(cosf(a)*p),cy+(int)(sinf(a)*p),3,YELLOW,true);}text(170,38,"FOUND "+String(aircraftCount),WHITE);for(int i=0;i<aircraftCount&&i<7;i++){int y=54+i*22;text(170,y,String(aircraft[i].callsign),YELLOW);text(170,y+10,String((int)roundf(aircraft[i].distanceKm))+"KM "+String((int)roundf(aircraft[i].altitudeM))+"M",WHITE);}lineH(0,229,320,GREY);text(3,233,statusLine,WiFi.status()==WL_CONNECTED?GREEN:RED); }
void connectWiFi(){if(String(WIFI_SSID)=="YOUR_WIFI_NAME"){statusLine="SET WIFI NAME PASSWORD";return;}statusLine="CONNECTING WIFI";drawScreen();WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);WiFi.begin(WIFI_SSID,WIFI_PASSWORD);unsigned long start=millis();while(WiFi.status()!=WL_CONNECTED&&millis()-start<15000)delay(250);statusLine=WiFi.status()==WL_CONNECTED?"WIFI CONNECTED":"WIFI FAILED";}
void fetchAircraft(){if(WiFi.status()!=WL_CONNECTED)connectWiFi();if(WiFi.status()!=WL_CONNECTED)return;float ls=SCAN_RADIUS_KM/111.0f,os=SCAN_RADIUS_KM/(111.0f*cosf(degreesToRadians(SCAN_LATITUDE)));String url="https://opensky-network.org/api/states/all?lamin="+String(SCAN_LATITUDE-ls,4)+"&lomin="+String(SCAN_LONGITUDE-os,4)+"&lamax="+String(SCAN_LATITUDE+ls,4)+"&lomax="+String(SCAN_LONGITUDE+os,4);statusLine="GETTING FLIGHT DATA";drawScreen();WiFiClientSecure client;client.setInsecure();HTTPClient http;http.setTimeout(12000);http.begin(client,url);int rc=http.GET();if(rc!=HTTP_CODE_OK){statusLine="DATA ERROR "+String(rc);http.end();return;}DynamicJsonDocument filter(256);filter["states"][0][1]=true;filter["states"][0][5]=true;filter["states"][0][6]=true;filter["states"][0][7]=true;filter["states"][0][9]=true;DynamicJsonDocument doc(12288);DeserializationError e=deserializeJson(doc,http.getStream(),DeserializationOption::Filter(filter));http.end();if(e){statusLine="COULD NOT READ DATA";return;}aircraftCount=0;for(JsonVariant st:doc["states"].as<JsonArray>()){if(aircraftCount>=MAX_AIRCRAFT)break;if(st[5].isNull()||st[6].isNull())continue;Aircraft &v=aircraft[aircraftCount];String n=st[1]|"UNKNOWN";n.trim();n.substring(0,11).toCharArray(v.callsign,sizeof(v.callsign));v.longitude=st[5];v.latitude=st[6];v.altitudeM=st[7]|0.0f;v.speedMps=st[9]|0.0f;v.distanceKm=distanceKm(SCAN_LATITUDE,SCAN_LONGITUDE,v.latitude,v.longitude);v.bearingDeg=bearing(SCAN_LATITUDE,SCAN_LONGITUDE,v.latitude,v.longitude);if(v.distanceKm<=SCAN_RADIUS_KM)aircraftCount++;}statusLine="UPDATED "+String(aircraftCount)+" AIRCRAFT";}
void setup(){pinMode(BUTTON_A,INPUT_PULLUP);displayBegin();drawScreen();connectWiFi();fetchAircraft();drawScreen();lastRefresh=millis();}
void loop(){bool now=digitalRead(BUTTON_A);if(previousButton&&!now){fetchAircraft();drawScreen();lastRefresh=millis();}previousButton=now;if(millis()-lastRefresh>=REFRESH_INTERVAL_MS){fetchAircraft();drawScreen();lastRefresh=millis();}delay(25);}
#endif