Global aircraft map from Proba-V

Impressive satellite map shows world’s planes, about 15,000 aircraft traveling around the planet.

The global aircraft map was produced using data from Proba-V satellite, using an experimental Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) receiver. It collects data such as position, speed and altitude.

All aircraft entering European airspace are envisaged to carry ADS-B in the coming years.

Proba-V has picked up upwards of 25 million positions from more than 15 000 separate aircraft. The DLR German Aerospace Center and SES team has identified more than 22 000 unique callsigns, identifying more than 15 000 aircraft by their unique International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) addresses (one aircraft can share a callsign with others, depending on the flight route).

source ESA