If you’re keen to know exactly where GPS Spoofing – or GPS Jamming – might be happening today, there are two handy live maps to share with you.
Both of these use data from flight tracking websites to look for position anomalies, and convert those into hotspots that show where the activity is.
These are very useful in-flight to get a heads up on where you might encounter issues with GPS interference.
Live GPS Spoofing tracker
First up is this live GPS spoofing tracker from SkAI Data Services, in partnership with the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.
About a month ago, SkAI and Zurich University were following the discussions about GPS spoofing, and wondered if they could detect spoofing in real-time based on the ADS-B data from the OpenSky Network. As it turns out, they can. Having up-to-date information can help raise the situational awareness and prepare the flight crew for the possibility of spoofing.
Their algorithm can detect spoofing anywhere in the world where they have ADS-B coverage. The website is free to use. Unfortunately, the receiver network doesn’t quite have the same coverage as other ADS-B websites, let alone space-based ADS-B. Regardless, it’s a great tool for planning flights into areas of potential GPS issues.
The screenshot above is from this morning, May 7th. It matches exactly the three primary GPS spoofing hotspots this year: Sevastopol, Beirut, and Cairo. These are the three locations that you can expect your GPS to “think” it’s at, when you are over the Black Sea, Eastern Med/Israel, and Egypt, respectively.
GPS Jamming tracker
This map has been around a little longer, and will be familiar to some. GPS Jam uses data from ADS-B Exchange, and looks for aircraft indicating low navigation accuracy. More details are in their FAQ.
This was created when jamming was the only type of GPS interference we encountered, but now that spoofing is on the scene, it most likely shows both jamming and spoofing. That said, when being spoofed, the aircraft doesn’t know it has an issue with navigation accuracy (and that’s the very problem). Maybe someone knows more about this.
Either way, it’s a great map to see potential GPS trouble spots.
What’s the latest on GPS Spoofing?
The spoofing tracker above is probably the best answer to that!
Since OPSGROUP first reported the new GPS Spoofing phenomenon in September last year, we continue to receive daily reports of spoofing. However, the areas affected remain largely the same. Our GPS Spoofing Pilot QRH from November last year still holds true, except that we’ve seen far fewer reports from the Iraq/Iran area, and a new area in Sevastopol affecting Black Sea transits.
We continue to ask members to report GPS spoofing events (pictures are very useful too) to us at team@ops.group, or via WhatsApp to +1 747 200 1993. Thank you!
More on the topic:
- More: NAT Crossing after GPS spoofing: a guide
- More: GPS Spoofing Update: Map, Scenarios and Guidance
- More: FAA warning issued, further serious navigation failures reported
- More: Flights misled over position, navigation failure follows
- More: Signal Jam: US GPS Interference Testing This Month
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- Weekly Ops Bulletin: Subscribe
- Membership plans: Why join OPSGROUP?
We had jamming in the Yangon FIR between BGO and KEVAM (further south towards Thailand) on a flight between FRA to SIN. All GPS offline.
Is the tracking website live as I cannot access it using either Edge or Chrome?