Determining location by listening for airplanes

· Adafruit Industries Blog · Nov. 9, 2026, 9:47 p.m.
Summary
This blog post discusses a unique method for determining the location of a video recording by analyzing the sound of passing airplanes. It explains how aircraft noises can be detected in recordings and matched with public flight data (ADS-B records) to identify the video’s filming location. The method uses sound spectrograms to analyze Doppler curves that vary with a plane's speed and distance. The technique's effectiveness is demonstrated through a test where a single audio curve was sufficient for accurate location determination.