How to read the Layer400 live map and playback

A map of received reports

Layer400 displays drone Remote ID and aircraft ADS-B reports contributed by receivers. The live map shows what the network has received, not every aircraft in the sky. Coverage changes with receiver locations, radio hardware, terrain, buildings and the broadcasts actually being transmitted.

Open the live map. Use Find a place to choose an area, then Layers to adjust the view. Aircraft are requested for the visible map area; Remote ID has its own worldwide layer. Panning the map does not add reception where no receiver has heard a signal.

Select a track without losing your place

Select a drone or aircraft to inspect its latest available report and recorded trail. Centre moves the view once. Follow is a separate choice that moves with the selected track; move the map yourself to stop following. On a phone, keep the compact card open and expand details when you need them.

Aircraft identification can include a registration, type, model or airline where available. A missing field means it was not available for that result. A Layer400 public track reference is not an aircraft registration and should not be treated as one.

Live, coasting and ended signals

Look at the report time as well as the marker. A recently received position, a retained position while waiting for another report, and an ended signal are different states. Smooth marker movement makes the view easier to follow; it is not a new radio measurement.

A coloured trail represents the available height or altitude values. Gaps in received data are left undrawn. Do not infer a flight through a gap just because two ends appear close together.

Use playback to inspect a recording

1. Open Playback and choose a date and available time window.
2. Select a track and move the timeline to inspect its reported positions.
3. Open details for identity, timing and the loaded recording’s endpoints.
4. Check whether the window is fully loaded before comparing tracks.

Playback access depends on the account’s current benefits. The account levels page explains the available routes. A selected track can remain selected outside its recorded time; that does not mean it was still transmitting.

First and last recorded positions are reception endpoints, not confirmed take-off or landing sites. An aircraft may already be airborne when a receiver first hears it. Missing history, a loading error or a limited window must not be presented as a complete flight.

Alerts, groups and test signals

A TEST label identifies a test broadcast, whose reported position may be programmed. A nearby group of IDs is not automatically a coordinated swarm. An observed proximity alert describes a measured relationship between eligible reports, not a confirmed incident or collision prediction.

For an investigation, preserve the report times, data source, coordinate and height references, coverage gaps and any TEST labels. The public map is not a flight-navigation or emergency-dispatch service. Read data sources and limitations for the complete interpretation guide.