Methodology, data sources, and responsible use
AEROVAULT uses publicly available ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast) data from Airplanes.live, a community-run aircraft tracking network. ADS-B data is broadcast by aircraft transponders and is freely available in the public domain.
Live tracking data is received, normalized, and cached on our servers. We do not make one request per user — a single backend ingestion worker serves all clients.
US aircraft registration data is sourced from the FAA Aircraft Registry, which is a public government database. We import this data periodically and use it to enrich aircraft profiles with registration details and registered owner information.
Aircraft ownership attribution is based entirely on publicly available evidence:
Important: Aircraft tracking does not establish the identity of passengers. We use language like "Publicly attributed to" or "Associated with" rather than claiming someone was aboard an aircraft.
All emissions values are estimates only. They are calculated from:
These are not verified environmental accounts and should not be cited as audited emissions data.
When an OpenAI API key is configured, AEROVAULT can generate AI summaries of flight activity and routes. AI summaries are clearly labeled and are generated on-demand. We do not send continuous telemetry to AI services.
ADS-B data accuracy depends on receiver coverage. Some regions may have limited coverage. Aircraft transponders may be disabled or malfunctioning. Altitude data accuracy varies by receiver.
AEROVAULT displays information from public sources. If you believe an attribution is incorrect, please contact us. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.