Learn how to go plane spotting in MSFS 2020 with Drone camera, live or AI traffic, realistic viewpoints, and fixes for empty airports.
MSFS 2020 has no dedicated plane-spotting mode. Start at an airport parking stand, enable Real-Time Online or AI traffic, leave your aircraft parked with its engines off, then switch to the Showcase Drone camera and place it beside a runway or taxiway. Traffic will continue moving while you watch or photograph it.
How do you set up a plane-spotting session?
- Choose a suitable airport. Pick a busy hub if you want frequent movements. Set Live time and Live weather when you want traffic, lighting and runway use to resemble real conditions.
- Start from parking. Select a remote stand or gate on the World Map rather than an active runway. A small aircraft is convenient because it fits almost anywhere and can be shut down quickly.
- Enable traffic. Under General Options and Traffic, set Aircraft Traffic Type to Real-Time Online for real-world flights or AI Offline for simulator-generated traffic. Do not confuse Ground Aircraft Density with moving traffic; that setting mainly populates stands with parked aircraft.
- Park and shut down. Apply the parking brake and stop the engine. Keeping your aircraft at the airport matters because nearby traffic is loaded around the user aircraft, not around a Drone camera positioned miles away.
- Open the Drone camera. Use the in-flight Camera panel, select Showcase, and enter Drone mode. Move to a safe position beside the runway threshold, an approach path, a taxiway intersection or a terminal window.
- Leave the simulation running. Do not pause if you want aircraft to continue taxiing, taking off and landing. The VFR Map can help you anticipate movements; our explanation of tracking nearby aircraft with the MSFS map covers its practical limitations.
Runway ends generally produce the best views because arriving aircraft pass low overhead and departing aircraft rotate nearby. Stay clear of the runway itself if you want believable photographs rather than a camera placed where a real spotter could never stand.
Which MSFS 2020 camera is best for plane spotting?
The Showcase Drone camera is the best option because it can remain at a viewpoint independently of your parked aircraft.
| Camera | Best use | Limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Showcase Drone | Runway-side views, terminal windows and approach shots | Controls take practice and the camera can pass through scenery |
| External | Watching from immediately around your own aircraft | View remains tied to your aircraft |
| Cockpit | Watching traffic from a parked aircraft | Restricted by the cockpit structure and parking position |
For a fixed viewpoint, turn off Drone Follow and Drone Lock if either is active. Reduce Drone speed before positioning close to a fence or terminal, then adjust zoom rather than moving dangerously close to the traffic. Controller bindings differ, so search for Drone in Control Options if movement or zoom does not respond. We explain the available views and bindings in our MSFS camera-control guide.
Should you use live traffic or AI traffic?
Choose Real-Time Online traffic for recognisable real-world routes, and AI Offline traffic when you want configurable activity without relying on online data.
- Real-Time Online: best for watching plausible airline movements at a major airport. Flights may be delayed, missing or represented by generic models, so it is not a perfect radar feed.
- AI Offline: better for repeatable activity and density control, but the schedules and aircraft movements are simulator-generated.
- Multiplayer: adds human pilots, although their behaviour, aircraft model matching and airport discipline vary. It should supplement rather than replace AI or live traffic.
Our live-traffic setup and troubleshooting advice explains the online requirements in more detail. PC users wanting more airline liveries and denser schedules can also consult our comparison of MSFS traffic add-ons. Avoid running two traffic injectors together, as that commonly causes duplicated aircraft, missing departures and extra processor load.
Why is no traffic appearing at the airport?
An empty airport usually means traffic is disabled, the selected airport is quiet at that time, or an online service has not loaded correctly.
- Confirm that Aircraft Traffic Type is not set to Off and that the relevant density sliders are above zero.
- For Real-Time Online traffic, make sure MSFS online functionality and live traffic data are enabled.
- Try a major hub during its local daytime rather than a regional airport at night.
- Wait several minutes after loading; online aircraft do not always appear immediately.
- Keep your own aircraft at the airport. Moving only the Drone camera to another distant airport does not reliably move the traffic-loading area.
- If frame rates collapse, reduce moving traffic and ground-aircraft density. Traffic simulation can be processor-intensive at large airports.
- If using a traffic add-on, follow its required in-simulator traffic setting and disable any second injector.
Can you plane spot without flying?
Yes. You must load a flight and place an aircraft somewhere, but you do not need to take off or taxi. MSFS 2020 has no true pedestrian spotting mode, so a parked aircraft combined with the Drone camera is the closest equivalent and keeps the airport traffic simulation active.