Flight Radar Project
The Build
The Flight Radar Display started as a one-off gift and turned into a much larger product development project.
The goal was simple enough at first: build a desktop display that makes nearby aircraft activity easy to see without opening an app. Getting there took a lot more work than expected.
The enclosure, graphics, electronics layout, software, data interface, and physical prototype work were all developed in-house. Early versions used FDM printed parts for fit checks and design changes, then moved toward CNC-machined components as the design became more refined.
Our Approach
This project followed the same process Planetary Engineering uses for prototype work: build something, test it, find the weak points, and improve the design.
The radar went through crashes, memory problems, Wi-Fi issues, display layout changes, enclosure revisions, and plenty of moments where the whole idea had to be questioned. Each version helped define what the product needed to become.
That process is the point of prototyping. The first version is rarely the final answer. It is how the design starts telling you what it needs.
What It Proves
The VECTOR 28CN is an in-house product-development project by Planetary Engineering. It brings together CAD design, FDM prototyping, CNC machining, electronics packaging, software development, material selection, and design for manufacturing in one working desktop aviation display.
Originally built as a one-off gift, the project became a practical example of moving an idea from concept to prototype to a refined physical product.
