Open-source ADS-B Receiver & Flight Data Box
Pilot Kit Box receives nearby ADS-B / Mode-S traffic, records every flight locally without an internet connection, runs a backup G1000-style primary flight display on a 2.4″ transflective screen, and streams enriched flight data to the Pilot Kit App over BLE — all from a single open-source hardware build under $35.
Four roles in one open box
A single ESP32-P4 build covers situational awareness, flight recording, backup instrumentation, and deep Pilot Kit App integration — all inspectable, all open-source.
Nearby traffic awareness
Receives 1090 MHz ADS-B / Mode-S signals, tracks up to 64 targets at once, and resolves each aircraft against an embedded identity database for callsign, airline, country, and type.
Local flight recording
Writes raw flight and traffic data simultaneously via UART, rotating LittleFS on-device storage, and BLE raw streaming — no internet connection or cloud dependency required.
Backup PFD
Drives a 2.4″ transflective display at ~30 FPS with a G1000-style attitude indicator, heading/HSI, altitude tape, ground speed, vertical speed, and live ADS-B target count.
Pairs with Pilot Kit
Exposes four BLE GATT characteristics — Traffic, Heartbeat, Raw, and Time Sync — so the Pilot Kit App can pull traffic, flight state, and timestamps for richer logs and replay.
Open hardware reference design
Built from commodity modules — ESP32-P4, an RTL-SDR dongle, a transflective display, and a 100 Hz IMU — so anyone can source parts, inspect every schematic, and build or modify the design freely.
Open hardware reference design. Enclosure and production builds are still in progress.
- Main MCU
- ESP32-P4NRW32 (32 MB Flash, 32 MB PSRAM) + ESP32-C6 (Wi-Fi 6 / BLE 5)
- SDR
- RTL-SDR FC0013, USB 2.0 HS, 1090 MHz / 2 MSPS IQ8
- Display
- TK024F3036 / ST7789, 2.4" 320×240, transflective SPI
- IMU
- BNO085, 100 Hz 9-axis fusion
- Controls
- 4 tactile buttons (TARE / MODE / UP / DOWN)
- Connectivity
- BLE GATT, UART, LittleFS local logs
Sixteen features already implemented
From raw IQ capture through Mode-S decode, display rendering, and BLE streaming — all implemented and running on the prototype hardware today.
ADS-B reception & decode
- USB-HS RTL-SDR direct drive at 1090 MHz / 2 MSPS IQ8
- dump1090-derived Mode-S decode with CRC filtering
- CPR global position fix, up to 64 targets aggregated
- Embedded ~570k aircraft / airline / ICAO24 country databases
Display & UI
- G1000-style PFD at ~30 FPS
- ADS-B list page with detail pane
- English / Chinese Settings, About, Compass Calibration
- MODE short-press cycles pages, long-press deep sleep
Attitude & sensors
- BNO085 100 Hz 9-axis attitude fusion
- TARE zero with NVS persistence
- Compass calibration wizard
- PFD can source ALT / GS / VS from a bound own-ship ADS-B target
Connectivity & data
- BLE GATT: Traffic / Heartbeat / Raw / Time Sync
- UART + rotating LittleFS + BLE raw three-way recording
- iOS Current Time Service auto-sync
- RTL-SDR IQ-stall soft re-init before full restart
Under $35 in commodity parts
All components are off-the-shelf modules available from major suppliers. Actual cost may vary slightly depending on shipping, supplier, and regional pricing.
Total reference BOM
~$35
- Waveshare ESP32-P4-WIFI6 Main board with ESP32-P4NRW32 + ESP32-C6, ~$11
- BNO085 IMU module 100 Hz 9-axis attitude fusion module, ~$11
- RTL-SDR FC0013 dongle USB 1090 MHz receiver for ADS-B / Mode-S, ~$1.50
- 2.4" transflective display TK024F3036 / ST7789 320×240 SPI panel, ~$5.70
- 3.7V 10000mAh battery Portable LiPo power source for field use, ~$3.75
- 5V Type-C charging module Stable regulated 5 V supply for all modules, ~$0.60
- USB-A OTG cable + 1090 MHz antenna + adapters RF and high-speed data path to RTL-SDR dongle, ~$0.30
Pairs natively with the Pilot Kit App
Connect the Box to your phone over BLE in seconds. The Box exposes four GATT characteristics — Traffic, Heartbeat, Raw, and Time Sync — that the Pilot Kit App subscribes to automatically. Flight state, nearby traffic, and precise timestamps flow continuously back to the App, enabling richer flight logs, full replay, deeper analysis, and easy sharing.
- Traffic Heartbeat Raw Time Sync
Inspectable, affordable, and yours to extend
Every layer of the stack — from IQ capture to ADS-B decode to PFD rendering — is MIT-licensed and open for inspection, modification, and contribution.
Low cost
A ~$35 reference BOM versus $200–700 for comparable commercial ADS-B receivers makes hardware accessible to every builder and student pilot.
Open implementation
The full SDR → Mode-S decode → state fusion → display chain is MIT-licensed and on GitHub — read it, run it, modify it, or fork it for your own project.
Tight Pilot Kit integration
Captured traffic and flight-state data streams directly to the Pilot Kit App over BLE GATT, giving every flight richer logs, accurate replay, and easy cloud sharing.
Room to grow
Wi-Fi GDL90 output (ForeFlight / Garmin Pilot), OTA A/B firmware updates, and enclosure iterations are all on the roadmap — the platform is designed to keep evolving.
An open alternative to Stratux, Sentry, Garmin GDL, and uAvionix ping — but inspectable, low-cost, and DIY-friendly.
Safety & certification boundary
Pilot Kit Box is an open-source prototype and situational-awareness device.
This repository does not represent FAA, EASA, CAAC, TSO, or other airworthiness certification.
Do not use it as a primary flight instrument, backup flight instrument, navigation source, or collision-avoidance system.
Flight decisions must remain based on certified avionics, installed instruments, visual scan, and applicable regulations.
Frequently asked questions
Open-source, low-cost, built to grow with Pilot Kit
Star the repo, follow along as the prototype evolves, or flash the firmware to your own hardware today.