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I photographed a Jetstar flight over Canberra, and was surprised that it was a 787-8 (VH-VKJ) on the way to Hawaii, flight JQ1.
At the time of the photo, Flightradar reports the aircraft at 36,975 ft altitude at 538 kts ground speed.



Hawaii Bound by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

Very clear dry sky to get that detail…

Lots of resolution from the DFA 150-450 and K3iii. But yes, the cold winter air over Canberra can be very clear. I saw a 747 flying south today but I'm not sure whose freighter it was, because I was outside phone range at the time.

Associated flight tracking data adds interesting details.

Perhaps someone will diddle with astro-tracking software to allow 'un-manned' shots/image acquisition by flight number?

Hmmm. So long as it's not SAM shots!

I don't think SAMs squawk a code?

I've been trying to do a screenshot of Flightradar after photographing a commercial aircraft. It would be cool to somehow link the flight data into the photo.

Actually they do - sort'a. Anything with active guidance, not passive like IR, has to have a discrete ID code for the guidance control signals -- encrypted AND time-synced. While the missile may only receive it, the guidance signal is an integral partner.


But my point was the potential for using flt tracking apps for specific target ID for MANPADS. Do
a search on 'ADS-B'. A partner with a cell phone monitoring air traffic from any location becomes a 'sniper-spotter'.


I've used file time stamps to sync and associate recorded events in post-processing and/or edited the EXIF data.

Oh! Sure, if you're targeting any aircraft that has a code, ADS-B will make it easier. On the other hand, anything which has an ADS-B code shouldn't be a target except to a terrorist.
Which begs the question to me why missiles aren't configured to reject targets with ADS-B as a kind of IFF. That might have saved the Malaysian flight which was shot down over Ukraine.

On Android phone (or at least my Oppo), power button + volume down button dies a screen shot. Seems to work for FlightRadar24.

I can do screen shots on my Samsung phone. However, I can't use Flightradar if I'm in an area with no network coverage - Tidbinbilla is a phone black spot in order to reduce interference with the Deep Space Network installation in the area. Anyway, I have taken screenshots when I've been in areas with coverage - which is how I knew the details of the flight above. What I was saying was that it would be cool if it was possible to take the flight data from the Flightradar app and insert it into the EXIF data of the photo in the same way that the GPS data is copied from the phone to the camera. It would require a change to the ImageSync app through an API.