This project transforms the LILYGO T-Display-P4 development board into a multifunctional portable device capable of acting as a 1090 MHz ADS-B receiver and a Meshtastic-compatible mesh radio. By using an RTL-SDR USB dongle for RF reception and an onboard SX1262 LoRa radio, the system provides real-time aircraft tracking via a touchscreen interface and off-grid messaging capabilities. The device also features integrated MP3 playback, GPS time synchronization, and a companion web application called ADS-B Scope for live map viewing through WebSerial.
Main features include:
* Real-time ADS-B decoding and radar scope visualization with aircraft database enrichment.
* Meshtastic-compatible LoRa mesh networking with encrypted messaging and node discovery.
* Integrated MP3 music player with ID3 tag parsing and cover art display.
* Adaptive RTL-SDR gain control and USB hot-plug support.
* Comprehensive SD card logging for both ADS-B flight data and mesh messages.
* Dual-core ESP32-P4 architecture optimized via a 6-tier FreeRTOS priority scheme.
* WebSerial-based companion app for live mapping, firmware flashing, and file management.
An introduction to ADS-B Scope, an open source firmware project that transforms the LilyGo T-Display-P4 into a standalone, portable aircraft tracking device. By connecting an RTL-SDR dongle, users can view real-time flight data including callsigns, altitude, speed, and position on a 4 inch AMOLED touchscreen without needing a computer or internet connection.
Key features include:
- Real-time aircraft tracking with visual data on an integrated screen.
- A webapp for viewing live maps with aircraft trails and log replays via USB-C.
- Meshtastic-compatible mesh messaging protocol using the built-in LoRa radio.
- SD card logging with GPS timestamps and USB mass storage support.