Help & FAQ

Detailed Calculation Process:

1. Weather Analysis: We analyze current and forecasted weather conditions including:

• Cloud cover percentage (lower is better for most spotting)
• Wind speed and direction (affects visibility and comfort)
• Precipitation (rain/snow reduces visibility and comfort)
• Visibility distance (meteorological visibility from weather stations)
• Temperature and humidity (affects equipment performance and comfort)

2. Spotters Visibility Calculation: For all guides, we calculate how well you can see based on:

• Distance: How far away the target is (exponential decay - closer = much better)
• Habitat/Environment: Open areas (900m base scale) vs woodland (220m) - affects detection range
• Weather Visibility: Actual visibility from weather data (0.2-20km range)
• Wind Effects: High wind (>15mph) reduces hearing detection by 10-25%
• Precipitation: Rain reduces visibility and comfort (0.1-0.8mm = 15% reduction, >0.8mm = 30%)
• Time of Day & Light Conditions:
  • Night time (8pm-5am): Significant visibility reduction
  • Nocturnal species: Wildlife (badgers, foxes, hedgehogs) and birds (owls, nightjars) are active at night, but still have a 20-point penalty since you need equipment (torch/red light) to spot them
  • Diurnal species: Daytime-active wildlife and birds have a 45-point penalty at night - they're inactive AND hard to see
  • Dusk/Dawn (5-7am, 6-8pm): Moderate visibility reduction (10 points) - binoculars/torch recommended

3. Category-Specific Factors:

• MOD/Military: Range activity, NOTAMs, historical patterns, proximity to bases
• Commercial Plane Spotting: Only calculated near commercial airports (see below)
• Birding: Seasonal migration, dawn/dusk activity, habitat suitability
• Wildlife: Tide times (for coastal), habitat, seasonal behavior
• Stargazing: Light pollution, moon phase, cloud cover, darkness hours
• Trains: Station proximity, service patterns, rush hour timing

4. Commercial Plane Spotting - Airport Proximity Requirement:

Commercial aircraft predictions are only calculated near commercial airports (typically within 30-50km). This is because:

• Altitude Visibility: Commercial aircraft cruise at 30,000-40,000 feet. At this altitude, they are only visible when near airports during takeoff/landing (below ~10,000 feet)
• Distance Limits: Even with perfect weather, commercial aircraft at cruising altitude are too small and too far away to spot from most locations
• Airport Activity: We calculate predictions based on airport traffic patterns, time of day (morning/evening peaks), and weather suitability for spotting (not flight operations)
• Low-Altitude Traffic: We prioritize aircraft below 10,000 feet (takeoff/landing phases) which are actually visible to spotters

If you're far from an airport, commercial predictions will be low or unavailable - this is intentional and honest. We don't show false opportunities for aircraft you can't actually see.

5. Data Fusion: All factors are weighted and combined:

• Weather typically 25-45% of the score
• Time/activity patterns: 30-40%
• Location factors: 15-25%
• Real-time signals: 10-20% (when available)
• Historical patterns: 5-15% (varies by data availability)

Transparency Note: We show confidence levels because predictions are probabilistic, not guarantees. High confidence means we have good data and strong patterns. Low confidence means limited data or unusual conditions. We're honest about uncertainty to build your trust.

🎯 Tier 1: Overall Predictions (MOD Activity Page)

The main MOD Activity page shows aggregate predictions combining activity from all bombing ranges across the UK, Isle of Wight, Scotland, Ireland, and expanded regions.

• Shows overall "big picture" activity across all ranges
• Helps you understand general training patterns
• Combines signals from multiple ranges for a comprehensive view
• Useful for deciding which region to visit

Values: Range activity (overall), Training probability (aggregate), Spotting score (combined)

🎯 Tier 2: Individual Bombing Range Predictions

When you tap on a specific bombing range (e.g., "Donna Nook Range"), you see predictions specific to that exact range only.

• Uses that range's exact coordinates and schedule
• Fetches GOV.UK training schedules for that specific range
• Monitors NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) for that range's airspace
• Detects live aircraft within that range's operational radius
• Accounts for seasonal factors (e.g., seals on beaches)
• Uses historical activity patterns for that specific location

Values: Range activity (for this range), Training probability (range-specific), Spotting score (location-specific)

🛡️ Tier 3: Individual RAF Base Predictions

When you tap on a specific RAF base (e.g., "RAF Coningsby"), you see predictions specific to that base only.

• Uses that base's exact coordinates and operational data
• Monitors aircraft activity from that specific base
• Tracks squadrons stationed at that base
• Accounts for base-specific training schedules
• Detects live aircraft near that base
• Uses historical patterns specific to that location

Values: Base activity (for this base), Training probability (base-specific), Spotting score (location-specific)

💡 Why This System?

This 3-tier approach gives you:

• High-level overview: See overall activity patterns across all ranges
• Specific intelligence: Get detailed predictions for the exact location you're visiting
• Accurate data: Each tier uses location-specific schedules, weather, and activity data
• Better planning: Compare overall activity vs. specific range/base conditions

🔍 How to Use Each Tier:

• Start with Tier 1: Check the MOD Activity page to see overall activity levels
• Drill down to Tier 2/3: Tap on a specific range or base for detailed predictions
• Compare values: If overall activity is high but a specific range is low, there might be better options nearby
• Check schedules: Individual predictions show GOV.UK schedules and NOTAMs for that exact location

🌙 Visibility Conditions & Time of Day:

• Daytime: Full visibility - you can see aircraft clearly
• Dusk/Dawn: Moderate visibility reduction (20-point penalty) - aircraft silhouettes visible, but details harder to see
• Night Time: Significant visibility reduction (70-80 point penalty) - only aircraft lights visible, no silhouettes
• Light Pollution: Darker areas (minimal/low light pollution) have worse visibility at night (80-point penalty). Light-polluted areas have slightly better visibility due to ambient light (65-point penalty)

Our system uses actual sunset/sunrise times for your location (calculated based on your latitude/longitude and date), not fixed hours. This means visibility conditions change accurately throughout the year as days get longer or shorter. The darkness penalty now has 25% weight in the final visibility score (increased from 20%) to ensure night-time conditions properly reduce visibility scores.

📅 Weekend Training Schedules:

• Bombing Ranges: Closed on weekends (Saturday & Sunday) - no training activity expected. Range activity is automatically set to 0% on weekends
• RAF Bases: Active 24/7 for QRA (Quick Reaction Alert) - weekend activity is limited to QRA launches only
• Overall Activity: On weekends, only counts RAF base activity (QRA). Bombing range activity is excluded since ranges are closed
• Weekday vs Weekend: Most training happens Monday-Friday during daylight hours. Weekend activity is primarily QRA (defensive intercepts), which is much rarer than training

If you see high activity on a weekend, it's likely QRA (defensive intercepts) rather than training. Our system automatically adjusts predictions on weekends to reflect this reality - bombing ranges show 0% activity, and overall MOD Activity only reflects RAF base activity for QRA.

📊 How to Read the History Graph:

The history graph (flip the "OVERALL ACTIVITY & VISIBILITY CONDITIONS" card using the ⟲ button) shows the last hour of UK military aircraft activity:

• Green dots: Aircraft detected at that time - tap/click to see detailed aircraft history sheet
• Amber dots: No aircraft detected, but prediction confidence was recorded
• Line graph: Shows activity level (0-100%) - rises as aircraft take off and get "hotter" (more suspicious/closer to confirmed training), hits 100% for confirmed training, falls as aircraft depart and head back to base
• Interactive: Tap any green dot to see the aircraft history sheet with detailed statistics:
  • Speed statistics (min, max, average)
  • Altitude statistics (min, max, average)
  • Heading statistics (min, max, average, most common direction, heading ranges)
  • Training pattern analysis (time of day patterns, days of week patterns, session durations)
  • Flight behavior correlations (speed/altitude patterns)
  • Popular locations (where aircraft spent most time, with average heading and time spent)
  • Range visit statistics (which ranges were visited, with confidence scores)
  • Training confirmation patterns (confirmed vs suspected vs monitoring percentages)
• Photo enlargement: Tap the aircraft photo in the history sheet to see an enlarged version
• Time labels: X-axis shows time - hover/tap dots for exact timestamps
• Summary statistics: Shows min, avg, and max values over the 1-hour period, plus total data points

The graph reflects actual aircraft behavior: rising as military aircraft take off and approach training, peaking at 100% for confirmed training, and falling as aircraft depart and head back to base. This gives you a "hot/cold" view of activity over time. The graph always shows UK-wide activity (not location-specific) to ensure consistent, interesting data even when local activity is sparse.

📈 Factors That INCREASE Scores:

📉 Factors That DECREASE Scores:

🎯 MOD/Military Prediction Example:

Let's say you're at RAF Donna Nook at 9pm with no aircraft detected:

✅ Confidence Thresholds (Updated):

• High confidence: 75%+ (was 70%) - Very reliable, good data available
• Medium confidence: 50-74% (was 40-69%) - Some uncertainty, moderate data
• Low confidence: <50% (was <40%) - Limited data or unusual conditions

We made thresholds more conservative to be honest about uncertainty. If confidence is low, it means we don't have enough real-time data or conditions are unusual.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• Real-time aircraft presence is critical for MOD: No aircraft = significant score reduction
• Time of day matters: Night reduces both score and confidence
• Weather is always important: 25-45% of the final score
• Location proximity helps: Being near active ranges/bases boosts scores
• Confidence reflects data quality: Low confidence = we're being honest about uncertainty

🎯 Detection Radius System:

Each bombing range has two detection zones:

• Inner Radius (3 nautical miles / ~5.5km): The core range area. Aircraft inside this zone are considered "at range" and can trigger alerts more easily
• Outer Radius (6 nautical miles / ~11km): The proximity zone. Aircraft in this area are being monitored but need stronger evidence to trigger alerts

These radii are carefully calibrated to match actual range sizes and reduce false positives from aircraft simply transiting nearby airspace.

📊 Activity Values (0-100):

The values you see (e.g., 72, 46, 42) represent confidence scores (0-100%) that training activity is occurring:

• 0-30%: QUIET - No significant activity detected
• 30-60%: WARM - Some activity detected, monitoring
• 60-80%: HOT - Strong evidence of training activity (ACTIVE status)
• 80-100%: Very high confidence - Confirmed training activity (TRAINING status)

These values are calculated from multiple factors: aircraft proximity, altitude, speed, heading, dwell time, and historical patterns. Higher values mean stronger evidence of actual training activity.

🔍 Status Tiers (QUIET → ACTIVE → TRAINING):

• QUIET: No aircraft activity detected near this range
• ACTIVE: Training activity detected — aircraft inside/near range showing training behavior or approaching. This can include:
  • Aircraft heading towards the range (early warning)
  • Aircraft orbiting at middle altitude (10k-20kft) - lining up for training
  • Aircraft in proximity with suspicious patterns
• TRAINING: Strong evidence of active range training activity - aircraft confirmed to be training (low altitude, training patterns, multiple passes)

⚙️ How Detection Works:

The system scans every 3 minutes and evaluates each aircraft near ranges:

• Altitude Analysis: Training typically occurs at lower altitudes (<15kft). Aircraft above 20kft are usually refueling or transit (not visible to spotters)
• Speed Patterns: Training speeds (300-600kt) vs transit speeds
• Heading & Proximity: Aircraft heading towards range or orbiting nearby
• Dwell Time: How long aircraft spend in/near the range (confirms actual training vs quick transit)
• Pattern Detection: Oscillation patterns (high→low→high) indicate multiple training passes

For aircraft outside the inner radius (only in proximity), the system requires stronger evidence: lower altitude (<10kft), higher training score (≥75%), and longer dwell time (≥10 minutes) to prevent false positives from aircraft simply passing nearby.

📈 Delta Changes (↑ +20%, ∇ -10%):

The delta values show how much the activity value has changed since the last scan:

• ↑ Green (positive): Value increased - activity rising (aircraft approaching or beginning training)
• ∇ Red (negative): Value decreased - activity declining (aircraft departing or training ending)
• No delta shown: Value unchanged (no significant change detected)

Deltas update every 3 minutes with each scan. If a value is exactly 0, no delta is displayed to avoid showing "-0%" or "0%".

🕐 Decay System:

Activity values gradually decrease over time when no new aircraft are detected (staleness decay):

• Prevents stale values from staying high after aircraft have left
• Ensures spotters see accurate, current activity levels
• Values decay faster for higher confidence scores (they need stronger evidence to maintain)

This decay system acts as a "trust backup" - if you see a high value, travel to the range, but find no activity, the value will have decayed by then. This prevents disappointment from stale data.

💡 Early Detection (15-30 minute warning):

The system provides early warnings before aircraft actually reach ranges:

• Clue 1: Aircraft heading directly towards range (ACTIVE status) - gives 15-30 minute lead time
• Clue 2: Middle-altitude orbiting (10k-20kft) near range - visible to spotters, indicates lining up for training
• Clue 3: Low-altitude training patterns confirmed (TRAINING status) - actual training happening now

This early detection system gives spotters enough time to reach ranges before training begins, while avoiding false positives from high-altitude refueling or transit flights (which aren't visible anyway).

🎓 What Gets Tracked:

• All Detected Aircraft: Every military aircraft near ranges is tracked and recorded
• Pattern Learning: The system learns which aircraft visit which ranges at what times (e.g., "ZJ914 visits Donna Nook every Tuesday at 2pm")
• Statistics: Sightings, visit patterns, speed/altitude averages, common times and locations
• Classification: Learns military vs commercial aircraft patterns over time

This data improves predictions over time. After 3+ visits to a range, the system learns patterns and can predict when aircraft are likely to visit again.

🆓 Free Tier:

• Core tools & all categories: Access to all spotting guides (MOD, Birding, Wildlife, Stargazing, Commercial, Trains)
• 20 logbook entries/month: Track your spotting sessions
• 7 days historical data: View predictions and activity from the past week
• Basic filters & maps: Standard search and filtering options
• Community features: Access to shared sightings and community content
• Basic predictions: Weather and activity-based predictions

⭐ Premium (Master Spotter) - £4.99/month or £49.99/year:

• Everything in Free, plus:
• Unlimited logbook entries: Track as many sessions as you want
• 30+ days historical data: Access extended historical data and patterns
• Advanced filters: Filter by type, squawk code, score, rarity, and more
• Heat maps & analytics: Visualize activity hotspots and spotting patterns
• Full live aircraft intel: Real-time aircraft tracking and identification
• Data export: Export your data in CSV/JSON formats
• MOD push alerts: Get notified of training activity
• Ad-free experience: Enjoy the app without interruptions
• Enhanced predictions: All 6 prediction factors with advanced ML insights

Save 17% with annual billing! Annual plans are £49.99/year vs £59.88 if paid monthly.

💡 Why Premium?

Premium features help serious spotters get the most out of their sessions. Real-time aircraft tracking, advanced analytics, and unlimited logging make it easier to find rare aircraft, track patterns, and improve your success rate. Heat maps show you exactly where the action is, and extended historical data helps you plan better.

What it shows:

• Activity hotspots: Areas with high spotting activity (weighted by recency and frequency)
• Top hotspots: List of the most active locations with scores and details
• Category filtering: Filter by MOD, Wildlife, Birdspotting, Stargazing, Commercial, or Trains
• Visual heat: Color-coded map showing activity intensity (green = high activity)
• Sidebar details: Click hotspots to see scores, distances, and last activity

How to use it:

• Access via the "Heatmap" link in navigation (Premium subscribers only)
• Select a category tab to filter by spotting type
• Zoom and pan to explore different regions
• Click on hotspots in the sidebar to see details
• Use it to discover new spotting locations and understand activity patterns

Data Sources:

• Weather: Official weather services and meteorological data
• MOD Activity: GOV.UK training schedules and NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen)
• Aircraft Tracking: Live ADS-B data from aircraft transponders
• Location Data: OpenStreetMap for car parks, nature reserves, and points of interest
• Historical Patterns: Aggregated user feedback and spotting history (anonymized)
• Stargazing: Astronomical data for moon phases, planet positions, and visibility. Dedicated pages available for Planets, Moon, and Events.

Privacy & Data Usage:

• Location: Your location is used to provide predictions for your area. We don't share individual location data.
• Feedback: Your feedback helps improve predictions for everyone. It's aggregated and anonymized.
• Logbook: Your logbook entries are private and only visible to you.
• No tracking: We don't sell your data or use it for advertising.

Upgrading:

• Visit the /subscribe page from the navigation
• Select Premium (£4.99/month or £49.99/year)
• Complete checkout through our secure payment system
• Premium features activate immediately after payment

Changing Billing:

• Monthly to Yearly: Cancel your monthly plan and subscribe to the yearly plan (saves 17%)
• Yearly to Monthly: Wait for your yearly plan to expire, then subscribe monthly
• We recommend yearly plans for the best value

Cancelling:

• You can cancel at any time from your account settings
• Monthly plans: Cancel before the next billing cycle to avoid charges
• Yearly plans: You keep access until the end of your paid period
• After cancellation, you'll revert to the free tier
• Your logbook and data remain, but Premium features become unavailable

Using Promo Codes:

• When subscribing, you can enter a promo code during checkout
• Promo codes can provide discounts or free trial periods (e.g., 100% off first month)
• Discounts are applied automatically when the code is valid
• You'll see the discount reflected in the checkout total before payment

Payment Details Required:

Yes, even with a 100% off promo code (free first month), you'll still need to enter payment details. This is standard practice for subscription services and is required because:

• Subscriptions are recurring — after the free month, we need a payment method to continue billing
• Your card is not charged during the free month when using a 100% off promo code
• Payment is only taken after the free period ends (unless you cancel)
• This follows the same pattern as services like Netflix, Spotify, and other subscription platforms

Cancelling Before Payment:

You can cancel anytime during the free month to avoid charges:

• Go to your Account Settings → Subscription tab
• Click "Manage Subscription" to access Stripe's billing portal
• Cancel your subscription — no payment will be taken
• You'll keep Premium access until the end of the free month, then revert to free tier
• Set a reminder a few days before the month ends if you want to test Premium without committing

Important Notes:

• No charge during free month: With a 100% off promo code, you won't be charged during the first month
• Auto-renewal: Subscriptions auto-renew after the free period — cancel before renewal to avoid charges
• Immediate cancellation: You can cancel immediately after subscribing — you'll still get the full free month
• Easy cancellation: No penalties or fees for cancelling — just stop before renewal

📊 Free Tier Limits:

• Logbook entries: 20 entries per month (resets monthly)
• Historical data: Last 7 days only
• Feedback submissions: Once per week per location (prevents abuse, applies to all tiers)
• Features: Basic predictions, filters, and maps only

⭐ Premium Limits:

• Logbook entries: Unlimited
• Historical data: 30+ days (extended history)
• Feedback submissions: Once per week per location (same as free - protects our prediction engine)
• Features: All features unlocked

💡 Why Feedback Limits?

Feedback limits apply to everyone (free and Premium) to protect our prediction engine from abuse. We limit feedback to once per week per location because:

• It prevents spam or malicious feedback that could corrupt our ML models
• It ensures feedback represents genuine spotting sessions, not test clicks
• It helps maintain prediction accuracy for all users
• One feedback per location per week is sufficient for legitimate use

How It Works:

• 5-minute scans: Every 5 minutes, the system scans all military aircraft in UK airspace to detect training activity
• 3-tier radius system: Each bombing range has inner (red) and outer (yellow) radius zones for accurate detection
• Status detection: QUIET → MONITORING → ACTIVE → TRAINING based on aircraft proximity, altitude, speed, and flight patterns
• Altitude filtering: High-altitude activity (refueling, transit) is distinguished from low-altitude bombing range training
• Confidence scores: Each range receives a 0-100% confidence score based on multiple detection factors

Status Meanings:

• QUIET: No aircraft activity detected near this bombing range
• MONITORING: Aircraft approaching range (heading aligned, ETA <45min)
• ACTIVE: Training pattern detected — aircraft inside/near range showing training behavior
• TRAINING: Strong evidence of active range training activity (low altitude, patterns, speed)

Recent Improvements:

• Faster updates: Scans now run every 5 minutes (was 15 minutes) for more responsive tracking
• Improved decay: Confidence scores decay at 4% per 5 minutes (was 3%) to reflect rapid aircraft movement
• Accuracy enhancements: Confidence is capped at 30% when no aircraft are detected, preventing misleading "MONITORING" statuses
• Skip redundant writes: System skips unnecessary database writes when no activity is detected, improving efficiency
• Military futuristic theme: Redesigned interface with HUD-style displays for better readability and visual appeal

Using the MOD Portal:

• Access via /mod-portal (Premium subscribers only)
• View radar board to see all ranges at a glance
• Tap any range dot to drill down and see detailed scan history
• Use filters to show ranges only, or include RAF bases
• Tap confidence meters to flip between current score and change/delta values
• Check the INFO page for detailed explanations of how everything works

Features:

• Verified locations: All car parks are verified for safety, accessibility, and suitability for spotting
• Detailed information: Each car park includes address, coordinates, parking notes, and safety information
• Intel sheets: Tap any car park to see detailed information including directions to Google Maps
• Safety notes: Important safety information and access guidelines for each location
• Distance-based: Shows car parks near your location or UK-wide if location is disabled

Using Spotter Car Parks:

• Access via MOD Planner from the MOD Activity page (car parks are now integrated into the all-in-one trip planner)
• Car parks are automatically sorted by distance from your location
• Tap any car park card to open the detailed intel sheet
• Use the "Directions" button to get turn-by-turn navigation via Google Maps
• Always check safety notes before visiting any location

Safety & Access:

• Curated list: Only verified, safe locations are included (no user submissions to prevent unsafe locations)
• Respect private property: Always follow parking notes and respect surrounding areas
• Stay safe: Read safety notes carefully - some locations have specific requirements or restrictions
• No trespassing: All car parks are public access areas - never enter restricted military property

🛡️ MOD (Military Aircraft) Features

The MOD section is for tracking UK military aircraft. Here's what each feature does:

• Live Aircraft: Real-time military aircraft tracking with positions on map, aircraft types (fast jets, helicopters, transport), range associations, activity indicators, and historical patterns. Requires premium subscription.
• Ranges: Training ranges and bombing ranges. Shows range name, location, activity probability (0-100), aircraft types, suggested time windows, distance from you, and safety information. Always check safety rules before visiting!
• Bases: RAF bases and airfields. Shows base name, location, type (RAF, Army, Navy), activity levels, aircraft based there, access information, and viewing locations.
• Transport: Military transport aircraft tracking and base activity indicators.
• Planner: Plan MOD spotting trips. Add multiple ranges/bases, see route on map, calculate travel times, check activity predictions, optimize trip timing, and save your plans.
• Analytics: Activity patterns over time, range activity comparison, aircraft type breakdowns, best times analysis, and historical data.
• MOD Portal: Your command center with unified dashboard, live activity overview, quick access to all tools, real-time updates, and customizable views.
• Map: Interactive MOD map showing ranges, bases, live aircraft, and activity heatmaps.
• Notices: NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen), range closures, temporary restrictions, safety alerts, and activity changes. Always check before visiting ranges or planning trips.

⭐ Stargazing & Starfinder

Stargazing features for night sky spotting:

• Starfinder: Point your phone at the sky to see stars, planets, and ISS. Features constellation overlays, filters by type (planets/stars/ISS), visibility indicators, and compass directions. Color coding: Yellow = Planets, White = Stars, Cyan = Satellites (ISS, Hubble).
• Intel: Visibility predictions showing visibility score (0-100), moon phase and illumination, light pollution level, best hours for viewing, planet visibility, and darkness level.
• ISS Passes: Shows when the International Space Station is visible with next pass time, start/peak/end times, maximum elevation, direction to look, quality rating, and whether it's dark at peak.
• Milky Way: Shows when our galaxy is visible with peak visibility time, direction to look, compass bearing, quality rating, darkness at peak, and best viewing window. Best viewed in dark skies away from cities!
• Planet Visibility: Shows which planets are visible now, visibility status, best viewing times, location in sky, and brightness. Planets look like bright stars that don't twinkle!
• Night Vision Mode: Red screen mode that preserves your night vision, reduces glare in darkness, and makes it easier to check the app while stargazing.

📖 Understanding Guides

Each guide (MOD, Birding, Wildlife, etc.) has consistent sections:

• Intel Section: Predictions, activity scores, time windows, species/targets you might see, top reasons why conditions are good, and recommendations.
• Sightings Section: Recent community reports showing what was spotted, when it was seen, where it was seen, photos (if available), and notes from spotters.
• Nearby Section: Best locations near you showing name, distance, type (hide, viewpoint, reserve, etc.), activity score for that location, directions button, and what you might see there.
• Spots/Hides: Specific viewing locations with detailed information about access, what to expect, and best times to visit.
• Field Guide: Species identification and information for birds, wildlife, aircraft types, etc.

🛠️ Tools Within Guides

Each guide includes helpful planning tools:

• Best Times: Shows hourly predictions with color-coding (green=good, amber=ok, red=poor). Shows 4-hour intervals (now, +4h, +8h, +12h) with reasons why each hour is good/bad.
• Best Windows: Shows time periods with start/end times, activity score for that window, species/targets you might see, and explanations. Tap a window to see detailed species predictions, probabilities, tips, and set reminders.
• Weekly Calendar: Shows best times for the week with color-coded predictions (green=excellent, amber=good, red=poor), best time for each day, and weather/activity breakdowns.
• Route Planner: Plan multi-stop trips. Add multiple locations, see route on map, calculate travel times, optimize order of stops, and save your routes.
• Compare Locations: Side-by-side comparison of activity scores, distance from you, what you might see, best times, and access information.

🗺️ Maps & Locations

Maps show spotting locations and activity:

• Location Markers: Spots, car parks, viewpoints with details when tapped
• Activity Heatmap: Color-coded zones showing where activity is highest
• Your Location: GPS position shown as blue dot
• Sightings: Recent reports shown as colored pins
• Weather Overlay: Current conditions on map
• Filters: Show/hide different types of locations
• Nature Radar: Interactive map for wildlife and birding with heatmap of activity, location markers, filter by category, real-time data, and offline support
• Hotspots: Activity heatmaps showing color-coded zones, all categories combined, best times overlay, and location details (premium feature)

Maps work offline when you've loaded the area. Perfect for outdoor use!

📝 Logbook

Track your sightings:

• Quick Log: Fast entry templates for common sightings
• Photo Uploads: Attach photos to your sightings
• Location Tracking: Auto-save where you were when logging
• Species Tracking: Record what you spotted (species, aircraft type, etc.)
• Notes: Add details and observations
• Statistics: View your spotting history, totals, and trends

Logging your sightings helps improve predictions and builds your personal spotting history!

🚂 Trainspotting

UK railway activity tracking:

• Station Board: Live departures and arrivals, train types and operators, platform information, delays and cancellations, real-time updates
• Nearby Stations: Find stations near you
• Photo Planner: Glint score calculator that predicts sun reflection on trains. Higher score = better photo conditions based on time, location, and sun angle
• Places: Viewing locations near stations

🦅 Birding & Wildlife

Features for bird and wildlife spotting:

• Intel: Activity predictions and time windows
• Best Times: Hourly predictions for optimal spotting
• Best Windows: Time periods with high activity
• Sightings: Community reports of recent sightings
• Nearby: Bird hides, nature reserves, and viewing locations
• Field Guide: Species identification and information
• Offline Pack: Download guides for offline use (birding)

✈️ Commercial Flights

Airport activity and flight tracking:

• Airport Activity: Live flight tracking near commercial airports
• Airport Planner: Plan spotting trips to airports
• Live Aircraft: Real-time positions of commercial flights
• Airport Information: Details and statistics for airports

Note: Commercial aircraft predictions are only calculated near airports (within 30-50km) since aircraft at cruising altitude are only visible during takeoff/landing phases.