Aviation and flight data (ADS-B)

Flight-tracking data offers real-time insight into air travel, logistics and economic activity. This guide covers aviation and ADS-B data, what it shows, and how to source it.

Available across the EU. DataSupplier sources and delivers this data in all 27 European Union countries — including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Poland — and across the EEA, in the format and cadence you need.

What ADS-B and flight data are

ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance, Broadcast) transmits aircraft position and identity, collected by ground and satellite receivers to track flights. Combined with schedules and airport data, it gives a rich picture of air activity.

What it shows

Aircraft positions and movements, flight schedules and delays, airport operations and congestion, and aggregated indicators of travel and freight activity. It is increasingly used as an economic and environmental signal.

Common use cases

Travel and tourism analysis, air-cargo and logistics, airport and route planning, alternative data for finance, and aviation emissions and environmental analysis.

Sourcing considerations

Coverage depends on receiver networks, and some flights or fields may be limited. Raw positions need processing into flights, delays and movements. Licensing and redistribution terms vary, and aggregated indicators are often the deliverable.

Delivery and cadence

Live tracking wants near-real-time feeds; analysis uses historical batches. The data is geospatial and temporal, so consistent referencing matters.

In a managed model

A managed partner can source flight data, derive movements, delays and indicators, and deliver them in your format.

Turning ADS-B into flights and indicators

Like AIS at sea, ADS-B broadcasts aircraft positions and identity that become useful only after processing into flights, delays and movements, and combination with schedules and airport data. Coverage depends on receiver networks, some flights or fields may be restricted, and certain data carries security sensitivities. The deliverable is usually derived movements and aggregated indicators rather than raw position streams.

Uses and cadence

Flight data supports travel and tourism analysis, air-cargo and logistics, airport and route planning, and serves as an economic and environmental signal. Live tracking needs timely feeds; analysis uses historical archives. As geospatial-temporal data, it relies on consistent referencing and clear provenance for credible use.

Sources & further reading

• ICAO and EUROCONTROL: aviation data standards and statistics.
• EASA: European aviation safety and operations data.
• Eurostat: air transport statistics.
• Commercial ADS-B providers and methodologies.