Darwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin (DRW / YPDN) Plane Spotting Map & Live Active Runway Predictor
Darwin, Australia
Darwin
DRW/YPDN
Updated Wed 28 Oct, 11:37 local
- Active runway
- 36
- METAR wind
- 340° @ 6 kt
- Best spot
- Short final 36 - sunny side
- Sun
- 94° / 77°
Wind vector · +6 kt headwind
VFR
Side-lit
Golden hour in 6h 41m
Side-litWant a Telegram ping when YPDN flips runways? Subscribe for $3/mo
Best Darwin (DRW) plane spotting locations by time of day & sun angle
Live weather
VFR340° @ 6 kt
31°C · 10+ km · 1014 hPa
FEW021 SCT028
Golden hour in 6h 41m
Runway alerts for Darwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin
$3/mo
Spotting guideRunway windsATC frequencies
Lighting schedule
Morning 07:00-11:00, midday 11:00-14:00, afternoon 14:00-18:00 at DRW, scored from each spot's view bearing.
| Spotting Location | Morning (07:00-11:00) | Midday (11:00-14:00) | Afternoon / Golden Hour (14:00-18:00) | JetPhotos / Camera Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short final 36 - sunny side Runway 36 | SIDE LIGHT | HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT | SIDE LIGHT | Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-08:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00. |
Runway winds and thresholds
Land 36 · Dep 36
| End | Hdg | Length | Headwind | Crosswind | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 109° | 11,004 ft | -3.8 kt | 4.7 kt | Standby |
| 29 | 289° | 11,004 ft | +3.8 kt | 4.7 kt | Standby |
| 18 | 180° | 5,000 ft | -5.6 kt | 2.1 kt | Standby |
| 36 | 360° | 5,000 ft | +5.6 kt | 2.1 kt | Both |
Recommended camera lenses & ATC radio frequencies for Darwin (YPDN)
| Facility | MHz | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Tower | 133.100 | Published |
| Approach | 120.275 | Assigned |
| Departure | 123.000 | Published |
| Ground | 121.800 | Published |
| Delivery | 126.800 | Published |
| ATIS | 112.600 | Published |
Lens for the top pin: Sony FE 200-600mm, Uniden Bearcat BC125AT, FlightAware Pro Stick. Sony FE 200-600mmUniden Bearcat BC125ATFlightAware Pro Stick
Open the ATC frequency pageFrequently asked questions about plane spotting at Darwin (DRW/YPDN)
Which runway is active at Darwin (DRW/YPDN) right now?
As of Wed 28 Oct, 11:00 local, the METAR/TAF wind vector predicts landing and departure 36. The METAR wind is 340° at 6 kt. 36 shows +5.6 kt headwind and 2.1 kt crosswind from the left. Closed runways: none listed.
Where is the best place to plane spot at Darwin (DRW) in the morning vs. afternoon?
At 08:00 local the sun is at 99° azimuth and 24° elevation. Short final 36 - sunny side scores 86/100, 1234 m from runway 36, view bearing 330.8°, best as a morning spot with a 150-600mm lens. At 16:00 the sun is at 263° and 39°. Short final 36 - sunny side scores 86/100 on a 29.2° view. Morning and afternoon picks follow that bearing: a view that wants the sun in the east is a morning spot, and a view that wants it in the west is an afternoon spot.
What is the best time to plane spot at Darwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin?
The best time to plane spot at Darwin International Airport / RAAF Darwin (DRW/YPDN) is the window marked CLEAN FRONT LIGHT for the fence you are using. Morning (07:00-11:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Afternoon / golden hour (14:00-18:00) front light: no listed spot stays fully front-lit. Midday (11:00-14:00) is HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at 1 of 1 spotting locations. Read the Best Time of Day & Lighting Schedule by Spot table for the lens and the hours to avoid harsh backlit contrast.
What is the sun direction at YPDN spotting locations?
YPDN spotting locations sun direction: Short final 36 - sunny side (runway 36) is SIDE LIGHT in the morning, HIGH SUN / TOP LIGHT at midday, and SIDE LIGHT in the afternoon. Recommended focal length 150-600mm. Crisp fuselage illumination 07:00-08:00 local. No harsh backlit window between 07:00 and 18:00.
What lens focal length do I need for plane spotting at Darwin (DRW)?
Short final 36 - sunny side is 1234 m from the 36 centerline, so the lens is 150-600mm. The bands are fixed from that distance: 70-200mm inside 250 m, 100-400mm from 250 m to 450 m, and 150-600mm beyond 450 m. The aircraft itself is about 573 m from this pin on a 700 m final.
What ATC radio frequencies should I monitor while spotting at Darwin (YPDN)?
Monitor Tower 133.1 MHz, Ground 121.8 MHz, Departure 123.0 MHz, ATIS 112.6 MHz. Online streams lag by 30 seconds or more. A handheld VHF airband scanner at the fence is the zero-delay way to hear a runway change on Tower 133.1 MHz.
How do I know when Darwin (DRW) switches active runways?
No TAF wind shift in the next 6 hours flips the flow. Wind stays near 340° at 6 kt, so 36 remains the favored arrival. The $3/mo Telegram Runway-Shift Alert pings you when D-ATIS or the METAR wind vector changes the active runway: https://planespottingmap.com/airport/YPDN#runway-alerts