Privacy Policy
Effective September 30, 2026
This policy explains how Reckoned Force, LLC, the operator of TracePlanes, handles information when you use our website and mobile app. For questions or privacy requests, contact support@traceplanes.com.
Information we collect
- Account information: your email address, verification status, account identifiers, and, when you use a supported sign-in provider, the name, profile image, and authentication information it provides. Email verification codes are stored in hashed form and expire after five minutes.
- Sessions and security: session tokens, IP addresses, browser or device information, request metadata, and rate-limit records used to maintain sessions, prevent abuse, and diagnose errors.
- Preferences: saved aircraft are associated with your account. The website stores your last map center and zoom in your browser. Recent aircraft trails and photo results are held temporarily in app memory.
- Location and map searches: if you choose “Near me” and grant permission, the website uses your device location to center the map. Map-region coordinates are sent to our API to retrieve nearby aircraft. You can browse by moving the map without granting device-location permission.
- Billing information: if you subscribe, we store subscription status, trial dates, and Stripe customer and subscription identifiers. Stripe handles payment details on its hosted pages; TracePlanes does not store full payment-card numbers.
- Support messages: information you provide when you contact us.
Why we use information
We use information to provide the map and account features, authenticate users, synchronize saved aircraft, manage trials and subscriptions, answer requests, protect the service, and meet applicable obligations. Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, these purposes rely on performing our agreement with you, legitimate interests in operating and securing the service, legal obligations, or consent where required. You can revoke location permission in your browser or device settings.
Service providers and direct third-party requests
Cloudflare hosts our website, API, database, and operational logs. Resend delivers sign-in emails when email sign-in is enabled. Stripe processes subscriptions when billing is enabled. Google or Apple receives information when you choose its sign-in option. These providers process information needed for their respective functions.
The map requests tiles directly from the configured map provider, currently OpenStreetMap on the website; native maps use the device platform’s map service. Those providers receive your network address and requests identifying the map areas viewed. Our server requests regional aircraft data from ADSB.lol. Aircraft photo requests go directly to Planespotters.net and its image delivery domain, plnspttrs.net, and include the selected aircraft’s identifier, registration, and type when available. Photo providers can therefore receive your IP address and information about the aircraft you view.
TracePlanes does not include advertising trackers or sell account information. Third-party services have their own privacy practices: Cloudflare, Resend, Stripe, OpenStreetMap, and Planespotters.net.
Cookies and device storage
We use authentication cookies on the web and secure device storage in the native app to keep you signed in. Browser local storage remembers the map view. You can clear this storage or sign out; doing so may remove preferences or require another sign-in. No optional advertising or analytics cookies are intentionally added by TracePlanes.
Aircraft information
Aircraft positions, callsigns, registrations, and technical data come from external aviation sources and may relate to identifiable people or businesses. This data is distinct from your device location and account information. It may be delayed, incomplete, or inaccurate. Contact us about a displayed record; correction or removal may also require contacting the original provider.
Retention and security
We retain account, saved-aircraft, and subscription records while needed to provide the service and address billing, security, legal, or dispute requirements. Token expiry does not necessarily mean immediate deletion of its database record. Operational logs follow the hosting provider’s configured retention. Map preferences remain on your device until cleared; session trails and in-memory photo caches are temporary. Regional aircraft snapshots are refreshed and periodically cleaned up. We use HTTPS and access controls, but no service can guarantee absolute security.
Your choices and requests
You can browse the public map without an account, remove saved aircraft, sign out, clear browser data, and revoke location permissions. Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or receive a copy of your personal information, restrict processing, withdraw consent, or object to processing based on legitimate interests. You may also complain to your local data-protection authority. Contact support@traceplanes.com to make a request. We may verify your identity and retain information when required by law. Account deletion is handled by request; canceling a subscription and deleting an account are separate actions.
International processing and children
Our providers may process information in countries other than yours, including the United States. Applicable provider agreements and legally required transfer safeguards govern that processing. TracePlanes is not intended for children under 13, or below a higher applicable minimum age. Contact us if you believe a child has supplied personal information.
Updates
We may update this policy as the service changes. We will revise the effective date and provide additional notice when required. Contact: support@traceplanes.com.