Invictaeria is an IoT system built with an ESP32 microcontroller that detects the nearest airplane in real time using the OpenSky Network API, displaying live flight data on an OLED screen. Developed as an academic project during the CTeSP in Cybersecurity at ISTEC(Instituto Superior de Tecnologias Avançadas do Porto), the system demonstrates practical skills in embedded systems, API integration, real-time data processing, and hardware prototyping.
The device runs a continuous loop: connect to WiFi, determine its own location, query live air traffic data, calculate the nearest aircraft, and render the result on screen, refreshing automatically every 30 seconds.
The ESP32 connects to a configured WiFi network on boot. A loading bar is displayed on the OLED during the connection process, giving visual feedback before any data is fetched.
Once online, the device determines its own geographic position using IP-based geolocation APIs. This location is used as the centre point for all subsequent aircraft queries.
The system queries the OpenSky Network REST API for all aircraft currently within a configurable radius of approximately 50 km from the device's position. The response includes raw ADS-B data for every tracked aircraft in range.
Using the Haversine formula, the device calculates the great-circle distance to each aircraft in the response and identifies the closest one. This ensures accurate distance calculation regardless of geographic position.
Flight data is rendered on a 128×64 OLED screen. Each refresh displays the ICAO24 identifier, callsign, latitude, longitude, altitude, velocity, distance, ground status, and a directional heading arrow indicating where the aircraft is relative to the device.
Data refreshes every 30 seconds. A countdown timer is displayed on screen between refreshes so the user knows when the next update will occur.
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Microcontroller | ESP32 (WiFi-enabled) |
| Display | SSD1306 OLED 128×64 (I²C) |
| LED Indicators | Blue LED (GPIO 2) — WiFi status |
| Power | USB / 3.3V |
| Technology | Purpose |
|---|---|
| C++ (Arduino) | Firmware development |
| ArduinoJson | JSON parsing for API responses |
| Adafruit SSD1306 | OLED display driver |
| Adafruit GFX | Graphics primitives library |
| OpenSky Network API | Live aircraft transponder data |
| Arduino IDE | Development environment |
The following Arduino libraries are required. All are available via the Arduino Library Manager or the links provided.
| Library | Source | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| WiFi.h | Built-in (ESP32 core) | WiFi connectivity |
| HTTPClient.h | Built-in (ESP32 core) | HTTP requests to REST APIs |
| ArduinoJson.h | ArduinoJson | JSON deserialization |
| Wire.h | Built-in (ESP32 core) | I²C communication protocol |
| Adafruit_GFX.h | Adafruit GFX Library | Graphics primitives |
| Adafruit_SSD1306.h | Adafruit SSD1306 | OLED display driver |
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| Box Construction | Device Exterior View |
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| System in Operation | Top View (Open) |
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| Top View (Closed) | Top View (Open 2) |
| File | Description |
|---|---|
src/final.ino |
Final version with bearing calculation, ipinfo.io geolocation, and refined display |
src/projetoESPFuncional.ino |
Functional version with ip-api.com geolocation and LED indicators |
- README.md — this file
- LICENSE — MIT License
- .portfolio.json — portfolio site integration metadata
- .gitignore — ignores build artifacts and temp files
- docs/
- Invictaeria_Report_ENG.pdf — full report (English)
- Invictaeria_Relatorio_PT.pdf — full report (Portuguese)
- diagrams/
- invictaeria_uml_class_diagram.svg — UML class diagram
- esp32_oled_wiring_diagram.svg — OLED to ESP32 wiring diagram
- src/
- final.ino — final firmware version
- projetoESPFuncional.ino — functional firmware version
- assets/
- social-preview.jpg — social preview image for link cards
- imgs/ — project photos
- Email: sam.oliveira.dev@gmail.com
- Compose in Gmail: Gmail
- Compose in Outlook: Outlook
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jose-samuel-oliveira
- Website: sam-ciber-dev.github.io
This project is licensed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.
The social preview image used for link cards:
