Sky Crossings

Where aircraft routes, meet nature's routes. Two journeys, one sky.

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Inspiration

This project was inspired by the idea that both airplanes and migratory birds navigate the same airspace in very different ways. Bird migration is an interesting phenomena of nature, while aircraft flight routes represent one of humanity’s most advanced transportation systems. Seeing them side-by-side felt like a meaningful way to explore how technology and nature intersect.

What it does

Sky Crossings visualizes aircraft flight paths alongside bird migration routes on an interactive world map. Using real movement data, it displays both types of journeys in a way that makes seasonal patterns, overlaps, and high-traffic regions easy to spot. It includes heatmaps that highlight hotspots of bird activity and aviation density, allowing for easy visual comparison.

How we built it

We gathered aircraft flight path data from the OpenSky Network and bird migration tracks from Movebank. After cleaning and formatting the datasets, we used Mapbox to build an interactive map capable of layering both migration trajectories and flight paths. We then generated heatmaps on top of the spatial data to reveal clustering, movement patterns, and regions where the two systems intersect. The result is a dynamic visualization that blends ecological and aviation data into a single interface.

Challenges we ran into

One of the biggest challenges was reconciling two very different datasets. OpenSky and Movebank use different data formats, so aligning them cleanly on the same map required significant preprocessing. Another challenge was performance, displaying many simultaneous paths can overwhelm a map, so we had to optimize how lines and heatmaps were rendered. Getting the visualization to feel smooth and readable took multiple iterations.

Accomplishments that we’re proud of

We’re proud that we were able to bring two complex, real-world datasets together into a clear and compelling visual tool. Seeing the bird and aircraft paths animate across the map feels both scientific and artistic. We're also proud of the heatmap comparison feature, which gives the project practical value for understanding potential areas of overlap in shared airspace.

What we learned

We learned how to work with large-scale geospatial datasets, clean and normalize inconsistent data sources, and implement interactive mapping tools with Mapbox. We also gained insight into the surprisingly dynamic nature of migration patterns and flight routes, along with a deeper understanding of how visual design choices impact the clarity of geospatial storytelling.

What's next for Sky Crossings

Next, we plan to incorporate AI-driven insights into the project. By analyzing flight paths and migration patterns with AI, we hope to identify trends, potential overlap hotspots, and seasonal patterns more efficiently. This will allow users to gain deeper, data-driven understanding of how aircraft and birds share the sky, and potentially inform conservation or aviation safety decisions.

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