PyModeS is a Python library designed to decode Mode-S (including ADS-B) messages. It can be imported to your python project or used as a standalone tool to view and save live traffic data.
This is a project created by Junzi Sun, who works at TU Delft <https://www.tudelft.nl/en/>, Aerospace Engineering Faculty <https://www.tudelft.nl/en/ae/>, CNS/ATM research group <http://cs.lr.tudelft.nl/atm/>. It is supported by many contributors <https://github.com/junzis/pyModeS/graphs/contributors> from different institutions.
pyModeS supports the decoding of following types of messages:
DF4 / DF20: Altitude code
DF5 / DF21: Identity code (squawk code)
DF17 / DF18: Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B)
DF20 / DF21: Mode-S Comm-B messages
If you find this project useful for your research, please considering cite this tool as::
@article{sun2019pymodes, author={J. {Sun} and H. {V\^u} and J. {Ellerbroek} and J. M. {Hoekstra}}, journal={IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems}, title={pyModeS: Decoding Mode-S Surveillance Data for Open Air Transportation Research}, year={2019}, doi={10.1109/TITS.2019.2914770}, ISSN={1524-9050}, }
Check out and contribute to this open-source project at: https://github.com/junzis/pyModeS
Detailed manual on Mode-S decoding is published at: https://mode-s.org/decode
The API documentation of pyModeS is at: https://mode-s.org/api
Installation examples::
pip install pyModeS
conda install -c conda-forge pymodes
pip install git+https://github.com/junzis/pyModeS
Dependencies numpy, and pyzmq are installed automatically during previous installations processes.
If you need to connect pyModeS to a RTL-SDR receiver, pyrtlsdr need to be installed manually::
pip install pyrtlsdr
If you want to make use of the (faster) c module, install pyModeS as follows::
conda install -c conda-forge pymodes
pip install pyModeS
git clone https://github.com/junzis/pyModeS cd pyModeS poetry install -E rtlsdr
General usage::
$ modeslive [-h] --source SOURCE [--connect SERVER PORT DATAYPE] [--latlon LAT LON] [--show-uncertainty] [--dumpto DUMPTO]
arguments: -h, --help show this help message and exit --source SOURCE Choose data source, "rtlsdr" or "net" --connect SERVER PORT DATATYPE Define server, port and data type. Supported data types are: ['raw', 'beast', 'skysense'] --latlon LAT LON Receiver latitude and longitude, needed for the surface position, default none --show-uncertainty Display uncertainty values, default off --dumpto DUMPTO Folder to dump decoded output, default none
Live with RTL-SDR
If you have an RTL-SDR receiver connected to your computer, you can use the rtlsdr source switch (require pyrtlsdr package), with command::
$ modeslive --source rtlsdr
Live with network data
If you want to connect to a TCP server that broadcast raw data. use can use net source switch, for example::
$ modeslive --source net --connect localhost 30002 raw $ modeslive --source net --connect 127.0.0.1 30005 beast
Example screenshot:
.. image:: https://github.com/junzis/pyModeS/raw/master/doc/modeslive-screenshot.png :width: 700px
.. code:: python
import pyModeS as pms
Common functions
.. code:: python
pms.df(msg) # Downlink Format pms.icao(msg) # Infer the ICAO address from the message pms.crc(msg, encode=False) # Perform CRC or generate parity bit
pms.hex2bin(str) # Convert hexadecimal string to binary string pms.bin2int(str) # Convert binary string to integer pms.hex2int(str) # Convert hexadecimal string to integer pms.gray2int(str) # Convert grey code to integer
Core functions for ADS-B decoding
.. code:: python
pms.adsb.icao(msg) pms.adsb.typecode(msg)
pms.adsb.callsign(msg)
pms.adsb.position(msg_even, msg_odd, t_even, t_odd, lat_ref=None, lon_ref=None) pms.adsb.airborne_position(msg_even, msg_odd, t_even, t_odd) pms.adsb.surface_position(msg_even, msg_odd, t_even, t_odd, lat_ref, lon_ref) pms.adsb.surface_velocity(msg)
pms.adsb.position_with_ref(msg, lat_ref, lon_ref) pms.adsb.airborne_position_with_ref(msg, lat_ref, lon_ref) pms.adsb.surface_position_with_ref(msg, lat_ref, lon_ref)
pms.adsb.altitude(msg)
pms.adsb.velocity(msg) # Handles both surface & airborne messages pms.adsb.speed_heading(msg) # Handles both surface & airborne messages pms.adsb.airborne_velocity(msg)
Note: When you have a fix position of the aircraft, it is convenient to use position_with_ref() method to decode with only one position message (either odd or even). This works with both airborne and surface position messages. But the reference position shall be within 180NM (airborne) or 45NM (surface) of the true position.
Decode altitude replies in DF4 / DF20
.. code:: python
pms.common.altcode(msg) # Downlink format must be 4 or 20
Decode identity replies in DF5 / DF21
.. code:: python
pms.common.idcode(msg) # Downlink format must be 5 or 21
Common Mode-S functions
.. code:: python
pms.icao(msg) # Infer the ICAO address from the message pms.bds.infer(msg) # Infer the Modes-S BDS register
pms.bds.is50or60(msg, spd_ref, trk_ref, alt_ref)
pms.bds.bds10.is10(msg) pms.bds.bds17.is17(msg) pms.bds.bds20.is20(msg) pms.bds.bds30.is30(msg) pms.bds.bds40.is40(msg) pms.bds.bds44.is44(msg) pms.bds.bds50.is50(msg) pms.bds.bds60.is60(msg)
Mode-S Elementary Surveillance (ELS)
.. code:: python
pms.commb.ovc10(msg) # Overlay capability, BDS 1,0 pms.commb.cap17(msg) # GICB capability, BDS 1,7 pms.commb.cs20(msg) # Callsign, BDS 2,0
Mode-S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS)
.. code:: python
pms.commb.selalt40mcp(msg) # MCP/FCU selected altitude (ft) pms.commb.selalt40fms(msg) # FMS selected altitude (ft) pms.commb.p40baro(msg) # Barometric pressure (mb)
pms.commb.roll50(msg) # Roll angle (deg) pms.commb.trk50(msg) # True track angle (deg) pms.commb.gs50(msg) # Ground speed (kt) pms.commb.rtrk50(msg) # Track angle rate (deg/sec) pms.commb.tas50(msg) # True airspeed (kt)
pms.commb.hdg60(msg) # Magnetic heading (deg) pms.commb.ias60(msg) # Indicated airspeed (kt) pms.commb.mach60(msg) # Mach number (-) pms.commb.vr60baro(msg) # Barometric altitude rate (ft/min) pms.commb.vr60ins(msg) # Inertial vertical speed (ft/min)
Meteorological reports [Experimental]
To identify BDS 4,4 and 4,5 codes, you must set mrar argument to True in the infer() function:
.. code:: python
pms.bds.infer(msg. mrar=True)
Once the correct MRAR and MHR messages are identified, decode them as follows:
Meteorological routine air report (MRAR) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
.. code:: python
pms.commb.wind44(msg) # Wind speed (kt) and direction (true) (deg) pms.commb.temp44(msg) # Static air temperature (C) pms.commb.p44(msg) # Average static pressure (hPa) pms.commb.hum44(msg) # Humidity (%)
Meteorological hazard air report (MHR) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
.. code:: python
pms.commb.turb45(msg) # Turbulence level (0-3) pms.commb.ws45(msg) # Wind shear level (0-3) pms.commb.mb45(msg) # Microburst level (0-3) pms.commb.ic45(msg) # Icing level (0-3) pms.commb.wv45(msg) # Wake vortex level (0-3) pms.commb.temp45(msg) # Static air temperature (C) pms.commb.p45(msg) # Average static pressure (hPa) pms.commb.rh45(msg) # Radio height (ft)
Customize the streaming module
The TCP client module from pyModeS can be re-used to stream and process Mode-S data as you like. You need to re-implement the handle_messages() function from the TcpClient class to write your own logic to handle the messages.
Here is an example:
.. code:: python
import pyModeS as pms from pyModeS.extra.tcpclient import TcpClient
class ADSBClient(TcpClient): def init(self, host, port, rawtype): super(ADSBClient, self).init(host, port, rawtype)
def handle_messages(self, messages):
for msg, ts in messages:
if len(msg) != 28: # wrong data length
continue
df = pms.df(msg)
if df != 17: # not ADSB
continue
if pms.crc(msg) !=0: # CRC fail
continue
icao = pms.adsb.icao(msg)
tc = pms.adsb.typecode(msg)
# TODO: write you magic code here
print(ts, icao, tc, msg)client = ADSBClient(host='127.0.0.1', port=30005, rawtype='beast') client.run()
.. code:: bash
uv sync --dev --all-extras uv run pytest