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A developer built an open-source web application that tracks aircraft flying overhead in real-time using the OpenSky API. The app sends notifications when planes enter a 12km detection radius, displays flight data on an interactive map, and implements a sophisticated grid-based caching strategy to minimize API calls. The backend uses 22x22km grid cells to group users by location and 50x50km bounding boxes for data retrieval, allowing multiple users in the same geographic area to share cached data. The privacy-first application stores no user data and was created for the GitHub Copilot CLI challenge.

Metal Birds Watch: Watch Planes Without Looking Up

Giorgi Kobaidze

As a regular aircraft nerd, I instinctively look up at the sky every time I hear an engine overhead. So I decided to build something that would "watch the sky" for me. It taps into real-time public flight data and detects when aircraft enter my area.

<p>As a regular aircraft nerd, I instinctively look up at the sky every time I hear an engine overhead. So I decided to build something that would &quot;watch the sky&quot; for me. It taps into real-time public flight data and detects when aircraft enter my area.</p>