Artist Creates Jet Tracking System to Detect Signs of Apocalypse
Los Angeles artist and coder Kyle McDonald has built a system called the Apocalypse Early Warning System that tracks private jet activity around the world in real time. The underlying theory is straightforward: if ultra-wealthy individuals and government insiders know about a major crisis like a nuclear apocalypse before the general public, they might flee in their private jets. McDonald's system monitors roughly eleven thousand business jets using publicly available flight data and compares current activity against historical baselines. It assigns an emergency level from one to five based on statistical anomalies. McDonald created the system after noticing unusual private jet activity in April when geopolitical tensions escalated, plus a spike in prediction market bets about a potential Iran war. The tool is partly humorous but touches on real frustrations: wealthy people contribute most to global problems yet can often afford to escape first. The system currently has not exceeded level four, though McDonald has programmed it to account for holidays and major events to reduce false alarms.
Key facts
- Kyle McDonald built the Apocalypse Early Warning System tracking roughly 11,000 business jets worldwide
- The system uses publicly available FAA registry data and ADS-B Exchange flight tracking information
- Emergency alert levels range from 1 to 5 based on statistical deviations from historical flight patterns
- Top 1 percent of US population holds 31.9 percent of total wealth; bottom half holds 2.5 percent
- System has not exceeded level 4 since McDonald launched it, as of early May 2026
How different outlets framed it
Left-leaning coverage: Left-leaning outlets focus on the wealth inequality angle and billionaire privilege, noting that the tracker highlights how the ultra-rich have escape options ordinary people lack. They emphasize the creator's critique that communities absorb costs of environmental damage and global instability while the wealthy can flee first.
Limits of this briefing
The story received primarily centrist and tech-focused coverage without distinct partisan framing. No major right-leaning outlets were found commenting on this specific story. The project itself is presented as partly satirical and the creator acknowledges many false positives from holidays and events.
Sources
- Washington Post: Want to track the apocalypse? One theory: Follow the billionaires' jets. Centre
- Straight Arrow News: Is the apocalypse now? One man is tracking flights by the rich to find out Centre
- Arabian Business: New website tracks private jet flights by the rich to detect an apocalypse Centre
- Boing Boing: Apocalypse Early Warning System tracks the rich scrambling their private jets Centre
- The Cool Down: 'Apocalypse Early Warning System': Man tracks private jets to determine global emergency level Centre