OpenTAK Tracker reporting position on TAK map
ANDROID APP · TAK PLI TRACKER
FREE · ANDROID 8+

OpenTAK Tracker

Turns an Android phone into a dedicated TAK-compatible position beacon. Sends your location as PLI over CoT to TAK Server — without requiring every user, vehicle, or asset to run a full ATAK client. Simple setup. Reliable reporting. Less noise on the network.
Download OpenTAK Tracker →
✓ Free download
✓ Android 8+
✓ TAK Server · any provider
✓ ATAK companion mode
OPENTAKTRACKER · FREE · ANDROID 8+

Enroll. Report.
Appear.

A focused Android app for sending Position Location Information into TAK. Built for people, vehicles, equipment, and dedicated devices that need to appear on a TAK map without running the full ATAK client.

OPENTAKTRACKER · FREE REPORTING ACTIVE

Lightweight PLI Tracker

CoT XML · TCP/TLS · Client certificates · Any TAK Server

SETUP TIME <2 MIN QR enrollment
PLI INTERVAL 30s configurable
SERVERS MULTI independent control
COST FREE Android 8+
LIVE ENROLLMENT SESSION LIVE
  • T+0s QR code scanned · opentaktracker:// URI parsed · server + identity prefilled ENROLLED
  • T+4s CSR submitted → TAK Server signed certificate · stored on device CERT OK
  • T+6s TLS handshake complete · TCP:8089 · streaming CoT XML CONNECTED
  • T+30s PLI report #1 · callsign: ALPHA-7 · team: Blue · role: Team Member PLI SENT
  • ONGOING Foreground service active · background tracking · auto-reconnect enabled REPORTING
  • ALERT Emergency: Ring the Bell → CoT event broadcast to 2 configured servers SOS SENT
CAPABILITY MANIFEST 06 · INSTALLED · OTA
QR Enrollment NATIVE

Scan a TAK QR or tap a deep link — server, certs, identity prefilled in one step

Secure TAK Streaming TLS

CoT XML over TCP/TLS with client certificate auth · same model as ATAK

Multi-Server Ready MULTI

Store multiple server configs · enable or disable each independently

ATAK-Aware COMPANION

Pause PLI when ATAK opens · resume when ATAK closes · no duplicate reports

Emergency Alerts TAK-STD

911 Alert · Ring the Bell · In Contact · hardware SOS via volume keys

Dedicated Device Mode KIOSK

Foreground service · boot startup · kiosk lock · auto-reconnect · diagnostics

Download OpenTAK Tracker Free download · Android 8+ · Any TAK Server
01 FAST ENROLLMENT

From box to reporting
in under 2 minutes.

Setting up 50 tracker devices manually — certificate imports, server IPs, port strings — takes hours and creates errors. OpenTAK Tracker solves it with a single QR code that carries everything the device needs in one scan.

01 QR code carries everything — scan once, done

Administrators encode server host, ports, credentials, callsign, team color, role, and certificate workflow into a single QR. Operators scan once — the app prefills every field and initiates TLS certificate enrollment automatically. Under 2 minutes from box to reporting.

02 Compatible with every TAK enrollment format

opentaktracker:// URI · ATAK tak:// links · iTAK-style CSV payloads · ATAK JSON server payloads. Whatever enrollment infrastructure your team already uses, OpenTAK Tracker understands it.

03 Fleet identity updates without touching the device

Configure-only deep links push callsign, team color, and role to any enrolled device. Reconfigure 50 devices for a new exercise without walking each one through manual settings.

Download OpenTAK Tracker
SCANNING opentaktracker:// · CERT AUTO
02 DEPLOYED WHERE ATAK ISN'T

A tracker,
not a full client.

Not every device needs the whole ATAK experience. Vehicles, issued trackers, personnel without EUDs, dedicated field assets — they need to be on the map and report reliably. OpenTAK Tracker is built for exactly that device class.

01 Any Android — spare phones, vehicles, issued trackers

Any Android 8+ device. A spare phone. A vehicle-mounted handset. A purpose-built tracker. A kiosk-locked device in a case or kit. OpenTAK Tracker runs as a persistent foreground service with auto-reconnect and boot startup — devices that should just keep reporting, keep reporting.

02 Minimal bandwidth, minimal server load

Lightweight PLI only — one CoT XML packet per reporting interval. No map tiles. No chat. No mission packages. On large teams with many trackers, the bandwidth savings are significant and the TAK Server gets clean, focused position data.

03 ATAK-aware — pauses when ATAK opens, resumes when it closes

When ATAK is active on the same device, the companion plugin signals OpenTAK Tracker to pause PLI transmission. No duplicate position reports. No competing contacts on the server. Clean handoff, automatic.

Download OpenTAK Tracker
PLI REPORTING 3 ACTIVE · 1 PAUSED
WHO IT'S FOR

Every device
on the map.

OpenTAK Tracker is not a replacement for ATAK — it's for everything ATAK isn't on. Personnel without EUDs. Vehicles. Training devices. Field assets. Anything that needs to be seen without the full client.

01 · PERSONNEL TRACKING

Every team member on the map. Not just the EUDs.

Issue a basic Android device to anyone who needs to be visible in TAK but doesn't need map tools, chat, or drawing. Scan a QR at the briefing. Set callsign and team color. Walk out the door reporting PLI. No ATAK license. No 30-minute setup. No training required.

QR EnrollmentForeground ServiceTLS StreamingTeam IdentityEmergency SOS
MISSION · 01 PERSONNEL TRACKING

02 · TRAINING & EXERCISES

Enroll the whole class before the briefing ends.

Display the QR on the projector. Every trainee scans as they check in. Devices appear on the TAK map within seconds. When the exercise ends, reconfigure callsigns and teams for the next iteration with a single deep link — no touching each device. No help desk.

QR EnrollmentDeep Link ReconfigureMulti-ServerBoot StartupDiagnostics
MISSION · 02 TRAINING & EXERCISES

03 · VEHICLE OPERATIONS

Every vehicle on the map. Independent of the operator's EUD.

Mount an Android device in each vehicle. Enroll via QR. Enable boot startup and kiosk lock. The vehicle reports its position independently — even when the driver's personal EUD is off or out of range. Command sees every vehicle as a distinct TAK contact.

Kiosk ModeBoot StartupForeground ServiceAuto-ReconnectMulti-Server
MISSION · 03 VEHICLE OPERATIONS

04 · ATAK COMPANION

Everyday tracker. Steps aside when ATAK opens.

Operators run OpenTAK Tracker as their normal background tracker. When they open ATAK for a mission, the companion plugin pauses OpenTAK Tracker — one PLI source, no duplicates. When ATAK closes, tracking resumes automatically. Two apps. One clean position report.

ATAK PluginPause/ResumeCredential SyncDiagnostic ViewClean Handoff
MISSION · 04 ATAK COMPANION
TRACKER VS FULL CLIENT

Not every device needs
all of ATAK.

ATAK is the full situational awareness client. OpenTAK Tracker is for devices that need to be seen — personnel, vehicles, equipment, and dedicated trackers that should report position without the overhead of a full TAK deployment on every handset.

CONSIDERATION  
FULL ATAK

Full ATAK on every device

OPENTAKTRACKER

OpenTAK Tracker

01 Device requirement
Full ATAK on every device

Full ATAK-capable EUD — $300–$1,000+ per device, configured for the mission.

OpenTAK Tracker

Any Android 8+ device. A spare phone, a vehicle handset, a dedicated tracker — any Android works.

02 Setup time per device
Full ATAK on every device

Manual ATAK install, server import, certificate enrollment, plugin setup — 15–30 min per device.

OpenTAK Tracker

Scan a QR or tap a deep link. App configures itself and enrolls certificates automatically. Under 2 minutes.

03 Network load
Full ATAK on every device

Full ATAK data sync — map tiles, chat, markers, mission packages, plus PLI. Heavy on large teams.

OpenTAK Tracker

Lightweight PLI only — one CoT XML packet per reporting interval. Minimal bandwidth, minimal server load.

04 Duplicate position reports
Full ATAK on every device

Risk of duplicate PLI if ATAK and a tracker app run on the same device simultaneously.

OpenTAK Tracker

ATAK-aware companion mode pauses OpenTAK Tracker when ATAK is active. No duplicates. Clean handoff.

05 Dedicated tracker devices
Full ATAK on every device

ATAK is not practical for vehicle-mounted handsets, issued trackers, or kiosk-locked devices.

OpenTAK Tracker

Built for it. Foreground service, boot startup, and kiosk compatibility for devices that just keep reporting.

06 Fleet identity updates
Full ATAK on every device

Changing callsign, team color, or role on 50 devices requires touching each one manually.

OpenTAK Tracker

Configure-only deep links push identity updates to any enrolled device. No physical access required.

Use both. OpenTAK Tracker handles the trackers. ATAK handles the operators. One map. No duplicates.

Download OpenTAK Tracker
FAQ

Six questions
admins ask first.

Full documentation in the GoTAK knowledge base. Community support on Discord.

06 · QUESTIONS

No. OpenTAK Tracker is a dedicated tracker. It is built for devices and users that need to report location into TAK without the full ATAK interface — map tools, chat, drawing, mission packages. ATAK remains the full situational awareness client. Use them together: OpenTAK Tracker for the trackers, ATAK for the operators.

Yes — with the companion ATAK plugin. When ATAK is open and transmitting PLI, the plugin signals OpenTAK Tracker to pause. When ATAK closes, OpenTAK Tracker resumes normal tracker behavior. No duplicate position reports on the TAK Server. The plugin also supports syncing callsign and server profile details from ATAK to OpenTAK Tracker.

Three paths: QR code — administrator generates a TAK enrollment QR carrying server address, port, credentials, callsign, team, role, and certificate workflow. User scans once, app prefills and enrolls automatically. Deep link — opentaktracker:// URI or compatible ATAK/iTAK enrollment links. Manual — enter server details directly in app settings.

Yes. OpenTAK Tracker supports TLS connections with client certificate authentication — the same security model ATAK uses. Certificates are enrolled via CSR workflow and stored on device. UDP multicast is also available for local network deployments where TLS is not required.

Yes. OpenTAK Tracker supports TAK-compatible emergency alert events: 911 Alert, Ring the Bell, and In Contact modes. Emergency CoT events transmit to all configured servers immediately. Hardware SOS is available via rapid volume-key presses — activates without opening the app, which matters for lone workers and operators who can't look at the screen.

Yes. OpenTAK Tracker supports multiple server configurations, each with independent connection state, credentials, and certificate enrollment. Enable or disable servers individually — useful for teams operating across training networks, live ops, and mutual aid environments without rebuilding the device setup each time.

More questions? Ask on Discord or email sales@getgotak.com.

GoTAK Discord
DOWNLOAD OPENTAKTRACKER

Put it
on the map.

Any Android device. Scan a QR. Reporting PLI to your TAK Server in under two minutes. Free download. No subscription. Works standalone or alongside ATAK. Every person, vehicle, and asset that needs to be seen — seen.

Download OpenTAK Tracker Contact Sales
Free download includes TAK-NATIVE CoT · QR ENROLLMENT · TLS CLIENT CERTS · MULTI-SERVER · EMERGENCY ALERTS · ANDROID 8+
OpenTAK Tracker Free Download
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