Exploring spatial patterns of overflights at Acadia National Park
Peterson BA, Hutchinson JS, Gurung B, Beeco JA. 2025. Exploring spatial patterns of overflights at Acadia National Park. Science Report. NPS/SR—2025/278. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2310324
This study explored spatial patterns of overflights at Acadia National Park. Data were collected at McFarland Hill Air Resource Station. Overflights were analyzed from March 21st, 2023–October 8th, 2024 (491 total days of collected data; 77 days of missing data) using Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data. Phase 1 of the analysis focused on all overflights and found a high concentration of overflights above ACAD. Phase 2 of analysis focused on low-level overflights that fly between 1 to 3,000 feet above mean sea level (MSL) and found that overflight waypoints had a mean altitude of 1,266.25 feet MSL. Phase 3 of analysis removed all overflights that were government flights and major airlines. The remaining flights were low-level overflights. Kernel density analysis was conducted using waypoints segmented into 500 feet above ground level (AGL) altitude intervals. The altitude interval with the highest density of overflights was ‘1,001–1,500 feet AGL’. This information can be used for planning and management purposes and this study serves as a resource for future research that intends to use more advanced analytics.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Peterson, Brian; Hutchinson, J. M.; Gurung, Bijan; Beeco, J.
- Date of Issue
- 2025-04
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2310324
- Units
- ACAD , NRSS , NSNSD
- Keywords
- ADS-B, low-level overflights, spatial patterns