Is a Russian drone near you right now? Ukrainians have developed maps that track drones in near real time

Ukrainians now have access to a free live map tracking Russian attack drones in near real-time, according to a project called monitor. The beta version combines public reports of drones in flight with official air raid alerts, displaying them over a map. Russia employs jet-powered drones that may glide silently into targets, sometimes turning off engines beforehand. Over a hundred drones can descend in a single night.

Since September, drone-only yellow alerts have ceased to halt activities. During drone alerts, some Ukrainians remain at their desks instead of seeking shelter. The new maps enable quick, phone-based assessments of the sky, even on poor signals.

The map's accuracy relies on open-source information and algorithmic processing, with data sourced from Telegram channels reporting drone and missile movements. The service cross-checks these reports to estimate target locations, headings, and progress. It also tracks cruise and ballistic missiles.

The map is free, ad-free, and accessible via a browser or Telegram, designed to function on devices with weak signals. However, the dots represent estimates and may arrive late. Some targets might remain untracked, so an empty map does not guarantee safety. The developers urge people to prioritize official signals and seek shelter upon hearing sirens.

On 17 October, Ukraine's Defense Ministry announced that the Air Alert app now maps the approximate position and heading of certain targets, including cruise missiles, Banderol drone-launched missiles, and Shahed-type drones. The data originates from the Air Force over secure channels, though it lacks exact coordinates and real-time tracking. Ballistic missiles and objects exceeding 2,000 km/h are excluded. Counsel advises seeking shelter before consulting the map for security reasons.