Using the Interactive Map

The main map is the heart of SkySpot SA. It displays an interactive view of South Africa with 6 distinct layers that you can toggle on and off:

• Fields — Registered flying fields from SAMAA and RCASA data.
• Spots — Community-submitted points of interest.
• Pilots — Currently checked-in pilots shown as gold markers.
• Aircraft — Real-time ADS-B aircraft positions when available.
• Airspace — Colour-coded controlled and restricted zones.
• Weather — Weather data overlay for the visible map area.

Airspace zones are colour-coded for quick visual reference:

Green markers represent registered flying fields, while teal markers indicate community-submitted spots. Tap on any marker to see a quick preview card with the name, distance, and key details. From there, tap again to open the full detail screen with check-in options, weather data, and more.

Gold markers show pilots who are currently checked in at a field or spot. This lets you see who's flying near you in real time. Check-ins auto-expire after 3 hours, so gold markers always represent recent activity.

When ADS-B data is available, real-time aircraft positions appear on the map. You can set proximity alerts in the app settings to be notified when aircraft enter a range of 1 to 20 km around your location. This helps maintain situational awareness while flying.

Zoom in to level 15 or higher and a weather crosshair appears at the centre of the map. This displays current weather data — temperature, wind speed, and conditions — for that exact location. Pan the map to check weather at different spots.

Use the search sheet to find fields and spots by name. Tap the search icon on the map to open the search panel. Results update as you type, showing both fields and community spots that match your query. Tap a result to zoom the map directly to that location.