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You can construct and actually run your ADS-B ground station which you can install anywhere and actually receive data in real time on your computer directly from airplanes. Your ground station will be able to run FlightAware’s PiAware software to be able to track any flights that are within a 100-300 mile radius (this is the line of sight- the range depends on the antenna installation) and will feed data to FlightAware automatically. You can track flights off your PiAware gadget directly or through FlightAware.com.
NOTE: As a token of appreciation from FlightAware, you will receive the following for sending ADS-B data:
Getting started
The process is quick and very easy. With the instructions below, you’ll find the process short- it actually takes about 2 hours to complete the project- the parts themselves cost about $100.
Apart from your Pi, and other essentials we’ve already discussed like an SD card, you will need the following:
receiver will transform the 1090 MHz radio signal to a form that your computer can actually understand
TIP: if you are selecting between the Pro Stick Plus and FlightAware Pro Stick, remember that the Plus contains an on-board filter which works very well in places that contain a lot of radio noise- like urban environments.
1090 MHz Antenna
To start, you can buy an indoor antenna. If you are using the FlightAware USB adapter, ensure the antenna contains an SMA connector.
If you are using a telescoping mast antenna, make sure to break it down to a quarter wave length of 1090 MHz -6.9 cm- so that you maximize reception.
Install PiAware on your SD card
I will now show you how to install the software on your SD card if you are using a windows or Mac OS; however, I have to remind you to ensure you select the right drive to install the image.
Download the PiAware software on Raspbian Linux ZIP whose size is 310 MB then save the file on your computer. By clicking the link, it downloads the file into your computer’s download folder automatically.
Next, visit https://etcher.io/ to download the SD card writer (which is about 80MB) in size and follow the directions to install the program.
You can find the info about your windows OS under Control Panel >all control panel items> system. To see all the control panel options, view the control panel with little icons.
Next, open Etcher. You may have to run Etcher as administrator. To do so, right click \run as administrator\
Choose the PiAware zip file
Choose the correct 
carefully. This process usually overwrites any data that’s on the drive so be careful with it to ensure you don’t lose data accidentally. For instance, you can consider ejecting the external hard drives as well as any other storage devices to eliminate any likelihood of overwriting the data by accident.
On ‘my computer’ screen, confirm the drive. In the picture below, the removable disk (F) is the micro SD card:
When you are sure that the correct drive is selected, click ‘flash!’
Once the PiAware has been installed, Etcher should actually automatically eject your SD card automatically; otherwise, you should manually eject your SD card then remove it from your computer if this doesn’t happen.
Start by downloading PiAware on Raspbian ZIP, which is 310 MBs large. Save the file on your computer. Like I mentioned earlier, the file will download into your ‘downloads’ folder once you click on the link.
Next, visit https://etcher.io/ to download the SD card writer, which is about 80 MB in size and while following the directions indicated, install the program.
Now open etcher; you may have to run the program as administrator (use control + open application)
Now select the PiAware zip file and carefully choose the right Micro SD card USB drive carefully as you run the risk of overwriting important data. To avoid overwriting the data accidentally, simply remove any connected external hard drives.
On the ‘finder’ screen, confirm the drive. As you can see in the image below, the micro SD card is shown as ‘NO NAME’.
You will need administrative privileges on the computer- if a prompt appears, sign into an administrative account.
When you are sure the right drive is selected, press ‘Flash!’
Once PiAware is installed, Etcher should eject the SD card automatically; otherwise, you can manually eject the card and remove it from your computer.
Start your PiAware device
Slide the SD card containing PiAware into your Pi.
You can also put the case on the Pi- this is optional though.
Plug the USB SDR ADS-B receiver into your Pi.
Plug the antenna cable into the USB SDR ADS-B dongle tightly.
If you are not using Wi-Fi, plug the internet cable (Ethernet) in (otherwise, you can skip this part).
Plug the power into your Pi.
Make sure you see a solid red LED and also a blinking green LED on your Pi as well green and yellow LEDs next to the Ethernet jack.
Get PiAware client on FlightAware.com
Give PiAware 4-5 minutes to start, and then you can link your FlightAware account with the PiAware device in order to get all the benefits.
When your device begins running, do the following:
Look up the IP address in your router admin and then go to the assigned IP address on the same network in a browser. If the device has not been claimed, you will get a display of the link to claim PiAware device.
Alternatively visit FlightAware.com to get your PiAware client.
If after five minutes your device has not been displayed as claimed, you can try to restart the device; if that does not work, you can reconfirm the accuracy of Wi-Fi settings (if you are using Wi-Fi).
View your ADS-B statistics
Visit https://uk.flightaware.com/adsb/stats to see your ADS-B stats.
FlightAware will start to process your data as immediately and display your statistics in 30 minutes.
Click on the gear icon situated to the right of the Site name to configure your antenna height and location on your statistics page. Multilateration, which is also known as MLAT, works by pinpointing the aircraft location by knowing the site locations that got messages from the aircraft.
The stats page of FlightAware also tells you about your device’s local IP and offers a link for direct connection. This is where you can get a link to SkyView- this is a web portal for observing flights that the receiver is getting messages from on a map.
Congratulations!
Don’t forget that the signals from the aircraft are not made to go through objects; this means that you should ensure the antenna is located in ‘line of sight’ to the sky without any obstructions. As you may realize, the most optimum installations, which are usually installed on a roof outdoors, contain a range of over 400km/250 mi.
Now that you are done, PiAware is yours to enjoy, and so is FlightAware, which comes with extra features that are exclusively reserved for feeders of ADS-B like you.
