You can tracks planes, automobiles and boats on Internet, but does tracking technology exist for drones and if so, can you follow them online?
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1$\begingroup$ No, you can't track automobiles. Waze does not track all automobiles, only those that are using their navigation at that moment. In fact, it tracks whatever uses their navigation, which does not necessarily have to be a car. $\endgroup$– Jan HudecCommented Jun 26, 2015 at 12:43
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$\begingroup$ Side bar: Yes, @JanHudec, actually you can track automobiles. See: UPS, FedEx and many inter-state trucking companies (in the US, at least). Waze.com, however, will not allow you to track vehicles with very much accuracy unless the trackee hands out a link for the specific trip, then only with the person (s)he gives it to. Waze user/fan - not affiliated w/the company $\endgroup$– FreeManCommented Jun 26, 2015 at 14:38
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1$\begingroup$ I think the problem Jan (and I) had with this question is that at first glance it seems the OP is asserting that it is possible to track ALL planes, automobiles and boats. Upon further reading I believe he just means that it is possible to track some p's, a's and b's. $\endgroup$– CGCampbellCommented Jun 26, 2015 at 15:19
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$\begingroup$ droneshare.com is a site where people can choose to send data about their drone flights, though it currently only shows them after the fact. $\endgroup$– John WisemanCommented Jun 26, 2015 at 20:36
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$\begingroup$ aprs.fi tracks automobiles, along with lots of other things, but only if the owner is an amateur radio operator with a transmitter installed and powered on. $\endgroup$– SomeoneCommented Mar 4, 2023 at 17:04
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2 Answers
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As far as the tracking on aviation websites goes, no you cannot, at least not with the drones or UAVs available for leisure activities.
In order to track these devices they would either need to be equipped with FLARM or a transponder with Mode-S, which again would require a registration.
Unless you have fitted a GPS transceiver to your UAV which offers online tracking via the vendor's website, you will be unable to track UAVs.
Related:
How do you track and visualize aircraft from home?
Why do helicopters not appear in flight trackers?
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Technically it is possible to track large UAVs as well, if they have transponders they would show up like civil aircraft, as in radar trackers.
If they do not have regular ATC transponders, the ADS-B system, which is used for traffic collision avoidance, will give out UAV flight data, which potentially could be published online by anyone with the necessary receiver.
However, small UAVs (smaller than 10kg, let's say) would probably not carry the above mentioned transponders, so possibly their ground control stations sohuld submit flight data to a central server, to allow people following drone flights.
