MM2-Next

Project Overview

mm2-next is a specialized tool for aviation enthusiasts and ADS-B station operators. It connects directly to dump1090 decoders to visualize air traffic in real-time. The project focuses on performance, visual excellence, and providing deep insights into receiver performance and signal coverage.

Challenges

• Visualizing hundreds of real-time aircraft updates smoothly on a map without UI lag.
• Ensuring precise rotation and tail-alignment for aircraft markers with trajectory lines.
• Handling real-time WebSocket data streams for live updates and historical traces.
• Visualizing receiver coverage patterns using complex polar charts and message breakdowns.
• Optimizing for low-resource hardware like Raspberry Pi while maintaining high-fidelity visuals.

Solutions

• Implemented a custom Google Maps overlay system for precise markers and zero-drift rotation.
• Used Socket.IO for efficient, low-latency communication between the decoder server and client.
• Integrated Highcharts for beautiful, responsive polar coverage patterns and message statistics.
• Optimized React rendering with portals and memoization to handle high-frequency data updates.
• Built a robust Docker-based deployment system supporting multi-architecture builds (AMD64/ARMv7).

Key Features

• Real-time Tracking - Live map with custom icons, heading-based rotation, and climb/descent indicators.
• Advanced Statistics - Polar coverage patterns, message type breakdowns, and historical signal trends.
• Tailored UI - Glassmorphic design with altitude color-coding, country flags, and airline logos.
• Flight History - Interactive trajectory lines with precise trail-connectivity and retention logic.
• Open Source - Fully licensed under MIT with comprehensive community documentation and templates.