What Will I See?

The ADS-B equipment which generates the signals which are detected and displayed by RadarBox, are fitted to most modern airliners and cargo aircraft. ADS-B is not yet mandatory, but as airspace becomes even more crowded, much more use will be made of such modern technology to enhance flight safety. Aircraft with full ADS-B will show in the RadarBox aircraft list and on the map screen.

Why can I see aircraft in the list but they do not appear on the map?

Some aircraft, although they are fitted with ADS-B equipment, do not transmit their position.  Without position information, it is impossible to display the aircraft on the map. In the example below, the first 2 aircraft in the list have ADS-B equipment, but they are not transmitting position information. However, it is still possible to see the identity and type of the aircraft and their altitude.  The last 2 aircraft are transmitting full position information (shown by the Globe in the first column) and will appear on the map.  Note that military aircraft will often show in the aircraft list, but for security reasons, do not transmit their position.

What will not show on RadarBox?

Older aircraft, or small light aircraft and helicopters might not be fitted with ADS-B equipment and so will not appear in the aircraft list or on the map screen. See Tracking Military Aircraft for more information.