Guide ยท 1 min read
Track aircraft locally with an RTL-SDR and Raspberry Pi
Understand antennas, 1090 MHz reception and how PiSky turns raw messages into useful local airspace context.
The primary flight source is always the receiver attached to the host Pi. PiSky does not need an external flight API or an internet connection to display locally received aircraft.
1. Connect a receiver
Connect an RTL-SDR, Mode-S Beast GPS, or compatible receiver to your Raspberry Pi.
2. Configure it in PiSky Setup
Use PiSky Setup to select and configure the receiver without editing service files or opening a shell.
3. Confirm reception
Open the administration flights page to verify receiver status, range, targets and message counts.