WarDragon Analytics collects detections from one or more kits into a central map, a searchable history, and dashboards. This article explains what it does, where it runs, and how kits connect to it.
What it does
- A live map of drone and aircraft tracks from every connected kit, with track trails and pilot and home positions where the aircraft provides them.
- A history database. Detections are kept for 30 days, with aggregates kept for a year.
- Prebuilt dashboards for kit status and health, detection timelines, repeated contacts, and detections seen by more than one kit.
- A REST API for other systems, and CSV export for reporting.
- Optional password protection for the web interface and optional webhook alerts.
What it collects from each kit
Drones detected through DJI and Remote ID, aircraft from the optional ADS-B feed, signal detections, and kit health: processor load, memory, disk, temperature, and GPS position. It collects from the kit’s DragonSync, so anything the kit does not detect does not appear.
Where it runs
Analytics runs on a separate server or workstation, not on the kit. The database and dashboards are better suited to a dedicated machine than to the kit’s own resources. Running it on the same machine as DragonSync is for testing only.
A common arrangement is hybrid. Field units keep sending CoT to TAK for real-time awareness, while an operations center runs Analytics for the combined picture and history. The web interface is on port 8090 and the dashboards are on port 3000 of the Analytics server.
How kits connect
| Method | How it works | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Polling (default) | The Analytics server polls each kit’s API on port 8088. | Kits are reachable from the server on the same network or a VPN. |
| MQTT push | Each kit publishes to a broker on the Analytics server. Kits appear automatically on first publish. | Kits sit behind NAT or a firewall and can only make outbound connections. |
Both can run at once. See Adding a kit to WarDragon Analytics.
Critical Do not expose the Analytics web interface or API to the public internet without a VPN. With polling, each kit’s API must be reachable from the Analytics server, so that API needs the same protection.
Requirements
- A server with Docker and Docker Compose, at least 2 GB of memory (4 GB recommended for several kits), and roughly 50 GB of disk for 30 days of data from five kits.
- On each kit, the DragonSync API enabled, which it is by default on port 8088, and network connectivity to the Analytics server.
Related
- WarDragon User Guide, Section 8 — integration with your operational picture
- WarDragon User Guide, Appendix A.3 — API endpoints
- Reading a detection: tracks, signal alerts, and the API
- Checking that detections are reaching your MQTT broker