> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/osint-tools/opensky-network.md).
# OpenSky Network
| **OpenSky Network** | **Quick Overview** |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| URL | |
| What it does | Provides access to real-time and historical aircraft position, flight, and surveillance data collected from a global network of ADS-B, Mode S and FLARM receivers. |
| How to use it | Search for an aircraft, flight or ICAO identifier, explore flight data through the website or API, then analyse flight movements over time. |
| Cost | Partially free (registration required for some services and API access). |
| Account required | No (website browsing); Yes (for API access and additional features). |
| Cookies | Essential first-party cookies for website functionality and security. |
| Ownership | OpenSky Network Association, a Swiss non-profit organisation. |
| Use in Reporting | Supports aviation investigations, aircraft tracking, timeline reconstruction and infrastructure analysis. |
### What does OpenSky Network do?
OpenSky Network collects aircraft transmissions from thousands of volunteer-operated receivers worldwide and makes this information available for research, education and OSINT investigations.
The platform provides access to aircraft positions, flight paths, altitude, speed, transponder information and historical flight data. You can analyse aircraft movements, identify patterns of activity, and reconstruct flights over specific periods.
**The lowdown:** Unlike commercial flight-tracking platforms, OpenSky Network focuses on providing open surveillance data for research and transparency rather than consumer flight tracking.
### How to Use:
**1. Visit the site and access the map, statistics, or aircraft search tools.**
**2. For the Live Flight Map, search using an aircraft registration, ICAO24 identifier, callsign, or flight details to retrieve available flight information.**
**3. Analyse aircraft movements, export data where appropriate and corroborate findings using other aviation OSINT platforms or official aviation records.**
**4. Create a free account if you require historical data or API access.**
### Cost
* [ ] Free
* [x] Partially Free
* [ ] Paid
Registration required for some services and API access.
## Data Processing
### Account Required:
* [x] Yes
* [x] No
No (website browsing); Yes (for API access and additional features).
### Cookies:
The site uses essential first-party cookies for website functionality and security.
### Use in Reporting
OpenSky Network is useful for:
* Tracking aircraft movements.
* Reconstructing historical flight paths.
* Supporting timeline analysis.
* Identifying aircraft linked to investigations.
* Corroborating aviation-related intelligence.
* Monitoring activity around conflict zones, major events or critical infrastructure.
As an example, [researchers used OpenSky Network data](https://arxiv.org/abs/2006.02950) to quantify the dramatic reduction in global flights following COVID-19 travel restrictions.
| **Capabilities** | **Limitations** |
| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Provides real-time and historical aircraft surveillance data. | Coverage depends on receiver density and aircraft transponder availability. |
| Supports searches be aircraft registration, ICAO24, and callsign. | Military, government, or privacy-blocked aircraft may have limited visibility. |
| Offers API access for large-scale analysis and automation. | Historical access requires registration and has usage restrictions. |
| Enables reconstruction of historical flight activity. | Some regions have less comprehensive receiver coverage. |
| Covers a global network of volunteer-operated receivers. | Not all aircraft transmit ADS-B or Mode S data continuously. |
### Summary
OpenSky Network is most valuable during the collection, analysis, and verification phases of the OSINT workflow, allowing investigators to reconstruct flight timelines, verify aircraft locations, identify movement patterns, and corroborate aviation-related intelligence. However, coverage varies according to receiver availability and aircraft equipment, meaning some flights or regions may have incomplete data.
### Ownership
Owned by the OpenSky Network Association, a Swiss non-profit organization. It was originally established in 2012 as a collaborative research project by armasuisse (the Swiss Federal Office for Defence Procurement), the University of Kaiserslautern in Germany, and the University of Oxford in the UK.
### Ethical Considerations
* Respect applicable laws when monitoring aircraft activity.
* Recognise that receiver coverage and data completeness vary by location.
* Avoid drawing conclusions solely from missing surveillance data.
* Consider OPSEC and privacy implications when reporting on sensitive flights.
* Clearly distinguish observed flight data from analytical assessments.
### Related Tools:
* [ADS-B Exchange](/osint-tools/global-ads-b-exchange.md)
* [FlightRadar24](/osint-tools/flightradar24.md)
* FlightAware
* PlaneFinder
* [LiveATC](/osint-tools/liveatc.md)
#### Sources