Where Does Stowaway Get Its Flight and Sky Data?

Stowaway builds its 3D sky from three separate real-world sources: aircraft positions come from public ADS-B radio broadcasts, satellites are placed on their actual orbits, and stars are calculated for wherever you are standing. The site states that nothing in the scene is invented — the planes are where they actually are, the satellites are on their real orbits, and the stars are worked out for your location. Most of the scene changes while you watch.

The Three Data Layers

Aircraft: public ADS-B signals

Planes broadcast their own position over ADS-B, a public radio signal. Stowaway uses these same public signals as every other flight tracker, so the live positions for planes overhead are not proprietary to the site. The difference is presentation: instead of a dot on a map, you see the actual sky that plane is flying through, rendered in 3D, with the option to take a seat aboard.

Satellites: actual orbits

Satellites in the scene are shown on their actual orbits rather than as decorative elements. This means their placement reflects where they really are at the time you are watching, consistent with the site's claim that every part of the rendering is drawn from something real.

Stars: calculated for your location

The stars are not a fixed backdrop. They are worked out for wherever you happen to be standing, which is why the site describes the view as having "your horizon, your time of day and the stars that are really out tonight." The same rendering logic applies wherever you open it.

How Live Is the Scene?

Most of the scene updates while you watch. Plane positions refresh from the ADS-B feed, and the sky view is tied to your location and current time, so the horizon and star field stay consistent with what is actually above you. The site is explicit that the view is a rendering — but a rendering whose inputs are all real.

What This Means in Practice

A useful way to think about it: if you hear a plane you can barely see, Stowaway can show you that plane's live position inside the sky it is actually flying through, rather than as an icon on a flat map.

Accuracy Caveats Worth Knowing

• ADS-B is a broadcast, not a guarantee. Positions reflect what aircraft transmit; the site does not claim more than that the planes are where they actually are according to those public signals.
• The view is a rendering. Stowaway says so directly. The value is that the inputs — plane positions, orbits, star calculations — are real, not that you are looking at a photograph.
• Ground sharpness depends on support. Real buildings and streets in sharper focus are a supporter feature; the free version still gives you the sky, planes, and satellites without an account.

Access and Cost

Stowaway is free to use: the sky, the planes, and the satellites are all free, and no account is required. Supporters get sharper ground and a few extras, which the site says is what keeps the free version free — there are no ads, and the site states it does not sell anything about you to anybody.