ADS-B Exchange is built by a global community of over 20,000 contributors who invest their time, equipment, and expertise to collect and share ADS-B data. Their commitment makes it possible to see what’s happening in the sky with clarity and consistency.
That shared effort powers real-world impact.
From aviation safety and operational awareness to investigations, journalism, and humanitarian research, ADS-B Exchange provides a comprehensive view of air traffic that supports responsible, legitimate use cases.
Improved visibility strengthens situational awareness, particularly in congested or complex airspace. A more complete picture supports safety analysis and post-event understanding.
As new aviation technologies scale, understanding nearby manned aircraft is essential. ADS-B Exchange helps operators plan safer routes and reduce airspace conflicts.
Zipline leverages ADS-B Exchange data to enable their drone operations in Africa. Read about the incredible impact Zipline is having in countries like Ghana, Rwanda, Nigeria, and Kenya here.
Flight tracking data offers independent, verifiable context for reporting on aviation-related events. It supports transparency and informed public understanding.
Open flight data has supported humanitarian research, documentation, and efforts to identify illicit or dangerous activity in sensitive regions.
ADS-B Exchange has collaborated with C4ADS to support its mission to produce data-driven reporting to understand, prevent, and mitigate global conflict.
Pano AI’s early detection platform integrates ADS-B Exchange aircraft tracking into its Pano 360 interface — combining AI-powered camera networks with live aerial data for faster, better-coordinated response.
Pano AI uses ADS-B Exchange data to show operators not just where a fire is burning, but where aerial resources are actively deployed.
In regions affected by congestion, interference, or conflict, flight tracking contributes to broader situational awareness and analysis.
When accuracy matters, incomplete data isn’t just inconvenient — it can create real risk. ADS-B Exchange exists to support legitimate use cases that depend on a comprehensive transparent picture of air traffic.
Wildfires don’t wait for government alerts. By the time an official notification reaches a community, a fast-moving fire can have already jumped a ridge, cut off an evacuation route, or surrounded a neighborhood. Watch Duty — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2021 — was built on the conviction that people deserve faster, clearer, more actionable information when their lives and homes are at risk.
What began as a fire-tracking tool serving a handful of California counties has grown into one of the most trusted voices in public safety, reaching more than eight million people in a single week during the devastating 2025 Los Angeles wildfires and being displayed live in the city’s Emergency Operations Center. Today, Watch Duty serves users across all 50 states, combining real-time fire perimeter maps, satellite hotspot data, evacuation orders, and wind direction into a single, life-saving interface — all delivered free of charge and free of advertising.
Central to Watch Duty’s platform is its air attack and air tanker flight tracker, a premium membership feature that lets users and frontline responders see exactly where firefighting aircraft are operating in real time. Knowing whether a tanker is circling a ridge, where a helicopter is making water drops, or how air resources are being positioned relative to a fire’s edge isn’t just informative — it helps incident commanders, evacuation planners, and residents make faster, safer decisions. To power this capability, Watch Duty chose ADS-B Exchange.
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