Real-time flight updates at your fingertips ✈️ Stay informed, even during blackouts, with Flightlink's seamless data-sharing platform!

Flightlink: Keeping passengers informed during blackouts

🔥 Inspiration

Last Monday, a massive power outage affected the entire Iberian Peninsula and neighboring regions. Despite the blackout disrupting the electrical grid, transportation—including airplanes—continued to operate. In response, Vueling proposed that we develop a solution to ensure passengers remain informed in future similar scenarios.

To quickly implement a reliable system, we agreed on mesh networks, which allow communication between multiple devices without relying on external infrastructure such as antennas or central servers. Our solution ensures that only authorized airport employees can update flight information, while passengers—without requiring authentication—receive and relay updates, keeping data continuously synchronized.

✈️ What It Does

Flightlink is a decentralized flight information system designed to function during power outages. It utilizes a WiFi mesh network, allowing passengers to:

Receive real-time flight updates directly on their mobile devices.
Share and synchronize the latest flight information with others in the network.
Stay informed without relying on traditional airport infrastructure.

Even in blackout conditions, Flightlink guarantees passengers access to accurate flight data, reducing confusion and improving travel experiences.

🏗️ How We Built It

WiFi Mesh Implementation: Developed a network protocol that enables seamless communication between devices.
Android App Development: Designed an intuitive mobile application tailored for 70% of users, who primarily use Android devices.
Secure Data Distribution: Ensured only authorized personnel could update flight details while passengers act as data relays.
Energy-Efficient UI Design: Created a user interface that minimizes battery consumption to prolong usability during blackouts.

🚧 Challenges We Ran Into

Ensuring Network Stability: Maintaining uninterrupted communication across the airport environment.
Building for Android: Addressing compatibility issues across various device models.
Balancing Usability & Energy Efficiency: Designing an interface that prioritizes clarity without draining battery life.
User Adoption: Encouraging passengers to trust and use the system in emergency scenarios.

🏆 Accomplishments That We're Proud Of

Initiated the development of a WiFi mesh network, though full functionality is still pending.
Successfully built the flight visualization and search system, improving passenger accessibility to flight updates.
Established a foundation for a secure and decentralized communication system, with ongoing refinement.

📚 What We Learned

The potential of mesh networking for resilient communication in emergency situations.
How to optimize mobile applications for prolonged usability during power failures.
Strategies to ensure security in decentralized data distribution models.

🚀 What's Next for Flightlink

We aim to:

Expand device compatibility by developing an iOS version.
Enhance data encryption to strengthen security and prevent misinformation.
Partner with airlines & airports to integrate Flightlink into existing infrastructures.
Conduct large-scale testing to optimize performance in real-world blackout scenarios.

Flightlink is our commitment to resilient communication, ensuring passengers never lose access to flight updates when they need them the most. ✈️🔗