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Accessing Real-Time Telemetry

This guide explains how to access and visualize real-time telemetry, typically by using a combination of the REST API and real-time Socket.io to monitor airspace activity in real-time.

  1. Authenticate Your API Requests​

    Make sure you have the required access to the necessary resources. For detailed instructions, refer to the authentication guide.

  2. Set Your Observation Parameters​

    Decide whether you want to monitor a specific geographical area (bbox) or a particular device (uas_id).

    Note: The geographical region has limitations. Large areas such as continents or countries cannot be observed. For details, see the REST API guide.

  3. (Optional) Make an Initial Request to Get the Airspace State​

    get/v2/airspace/telemetry/ua?from=-00:05:00&bbox=... see API docs »

    Before starting real-time updates, we recommend fetching the initial airspace state. This helps initialize your application’s state. For example, retrieve the last 5 minutes of airspace data to create a starting point for real-time monitoring.

  4. Receive Real-Time Telemetry Updates​

    Option 1: Connect to Socket.io for Real-Time Updates​

    wswss://api.dronetag.app/v2/airspace/socket.io telemetry_ua see API docs »

    Using Socket.io allows you to receive real-time updates with low latency, without needing to worry about time range query parameters. This is the preferred option for responsive applications.

    Option 2: Poll the REST API for Updates​

    get/v2/airspace/telemetry/ua?from=$last_date&bbox=... see API docs »

    Alternatively, you can periodically poll the API for updates. However, this approach is less efficient for applications that need frequent updates.

    If you choose this option, ensure you use the Date header (needs to be converted to ISO 8601) from the last response for the from parameter in subsequent calls, to avoid receiving duplicate data.

    Not Recommended

    Polling is generally not suitable for high-frequency updates. Polling this endpoint with high frequency (> 1 per second) can result in rate limiting errors.

  5. Retrieve Operation Details​

    While telemetry data provides real-time flight information, it may not include essential details such as UA identification and type. You can retrieve additional information about the operation itself.

    Option 1: Listen for Operation Updates via Socket.io​

    wswss://api.dronetag.app/v2/airspace/socket.io operation see API docs »

    With Socket.io, you can listen to the operation channel for updates when a new operation is created or existing operations are modified. However, network interruptions can cause data loss, so it's best to combine this with occasional HTTP requests to ensure your application remains in sync.

    Option 2: Use HTTP Requests as Needed​

    get/v2/airspace/operation/{operation_id} see API docs »

    When necessary, you can request the operation details via the Operation API using the operation_id. This will give you the stored information about the airspace operation.

  6. Keep Your Viewport Up-to-Date​

    If your application displays a dynamic map or the area of interest changes over time, ensure you update the bbox query parameter in your API requests or send viewport events when using Socket.io.

    For more information, refer to the API documentation and the Socket.io guide.

You can also access additional telemetry streams for tracking the UA operator or the RID system in real time. For more details, see the DUMP guide.