Forget AirTags, you can build a family location tracker using Raspberry Pi and Raspberry Pi Pico

Consumer location trackers often come with tradeoffs that include privacy concerns, data collection, and a sense that you’re constantly being watched. Russell Eveleigh wasn’t comfortable with those compromises, especially when it came to his son becoming a latchkey kid for the first time. So, he decided to build something better for his family: a beautiful, ambient location tracker powered by a Raspberry Pi and Raspberry Pi Pico, running entirely on his own hardware.

The project isn’t just functional, it’s also visually impressive. Using Node-RED, MQTT, the OwnTracks mobile app, and a glowing hexagonal wall display made of foam board and fabric pyramids, the system displays the real-time location of each family member, using color-coded lights. It’s a thoughtful blend of technology, privacy, and creativity.

How the tracker system works and looks so gorgeous

A privacy-first approach using local hardware

location tracking devices

Each family member carries a phone running OwnTracks, which periodically sends location data to a self-hosted MQTT broker on a Raspberry Pi. From there, Node-RED processes the location data, determines which of 150 hexagonal LED “zones” the person is in, and sends just enough information for a Pico-powered LED display to update in real time.

The LEDs are mapped to a handcrafted geometric display mounted on the wall. Each glowing triangle corresponds to a specific geographic location, mapped using Folium and a Python script. If someone is in a particular area, like school, work, or downtown, their personal LED color pulses gently in that spot on the wall. When everyone is home, the lights merge to form a clean white glow in the center.

The entire setup is local and secure. No cloud services, no third-party APIs. Just good old-fashioned DIY combined with innovative, modern tools.

What you’ll need to recreate this Raspberry Pi-powered family tracking system

Required hardware, software, and preparation

An image of the Raspberry Pi Active Cooler mounted on the Pi 5

To build your own version of this project, you’ll need some standard components, a little experience with Raspberry Pi, and a fair amount of patience if you want the same handcrafted display. The system is modular, allowing you to simplify or expand it according to your goals.

Here’s what’s needed to get started:

• A Raspberry Pi 4B+ or newer
• Raspberry Pi Pico W (to control the LED display)
• OwnTracks app on each family member’s phone
• WS2812 addressable LEDs (about 300 for a full build)
• Foam board and fabric (for the LED diffusers)
• Basic woodworking tools (for framing and mounting)

The Raspberry Pi needs the following software and services installed and configured:

• Node-RED
• Mosquitto, a lightweight MQTT broker
• Python
• Adafruit Circuit Python IDE
• The appropriate driver libraries for your LEDs
• The Folium mapping library for Python

Once you’ve got everything in place, here’s how the pieces come together.

Steps to build your own version of the tracker

From software to soldering and foam board

Python script for location tracker

The project involves a combination of software configuration and physical crafting. Here’s a simplified step-by-step to get you moving in the right direction:

1. Install Mosquitto on your Raspberry Pi to run a local MQTT broker.
2. Set up Node-RED and configure flows to process location data from OwnTracks.
3. Install OwnTracks on each phone and configure it to publish to your MQTT server.
4. Write a Python script using Folium to map real-world GPS coordinates to triangle zones in a hexagonal layout. You can find Eveleigh’s working copy in his GitHub repository.
5. Design and cut your LED display using foam board and 5mm Lutradur fabric. Create pyramids for each triangle and staple them into hexagonal clusters.
6. Map each LED pixel to a logical triangle ID. This is important for accurate display updates.
7. Use a Raspberry Pi Pico W to subscribe to MQTT updates and control the WS2812 LED strips with CircuitPython.
8. Refine the diffusion by adding foam dividers behind each pyramid to soften the LED light.
9. Assemble everything into a wooden frame, mount the display, and test your animations.

This project rewards customization. You can tweak the number of zones, the layout, and the light behavior to match your needs and space.

Things to keep in mind during your build

Drawbacks that may affect some families

Source: Russell Eveleigh/YouTube

While this system is beautiful and empowering, it’s not without its limitations. For starters, it relies on family members carrying smartphones with OwnTracks running in the background. That means if a phone dies or the app crashes, updates stop coming in. For younger children or people less comfortable with smartphones, this could be a sticking point.

There’s also a learning curve. Setting up Node-RED, configuring MQTT, and building a custom LED display requires time and proficiency in scripting, debugging, and basic electronics. Folks new to these tools may need to spend extra time learning before seeing results.

The project is also mostly helpful in maintaining a local presence, rather than turn-by-turn tracking or broader map views. It’s a beautifully ambient solution, but not a GPS replacement. And finally, the handcrafted display, while impressive, requires a significant commitment. If you’re not into foam cutting, sewing, or LED mapping, a simplified version may be more practical.

A rewarding project for privacy-focused makers

If you're looking for a family-friendly alternative to AirTags or location apps, this Raspberry Pi-powered tracker is a great place to start. It’s thoughtful, open-ended, and designed with privacy in mind. Whether you replicate the whole project or just borrow the concept, it’s a creative way to bring together hardware, software, and design for everyday life.