A comprehensive Android Team Awareness Kit (ATAK) plugin that seamlessly integrates Meshtastic mesh networking devices for tactical communications and situational awareness.
This plugin bridges ATAK with Meshtastic devices, enabling secure, decentralized communications over long-range LoRa radio networks. It provides automatic device configuration, intuitive connection management, and robust message handling for tactical operations.
- Automatic TAK Optimization: Intelligently configures your Meshtastic device for optimal ATAK operation
- Tactical Settings: Automatically applies covert, radio-silent settings including:
- TAK role configuration
- LOCAL_ONLY rebroadcast mode
- SHORT_TURBO modem preset for fast data transmission
- Disables position broadcasts, telemetry, and MQTT for stealth operations
- Power-saving configuration with appropriate wake settings
- Smart Channel Management: Generates secure PSK from user-provided passwords
- Minimal User Input Required: Simply pair your device via Bluetooth and set a channel password
- Multi-Interface Support: Bluetooth LE and USB Serial connections
- Auto-Reconnection: Automatically reconnects to previously paired devices
- Connection Persistence: Remembers device preferences across app restarts
- Real-Time Status Monitoring: Live RSSI readings and connection health indicators
- Device Discovery: Intelligent Bluetooth scanning with Meshtastic device detection
- Configuration Validation: Compares current vs. optimal settings before applying changes
- Selective Updates: Only modifies settings that need changing to minimize device disruption
- Post-Reboot Handling: Manages device reboots from critical configuration changes
- Dual Protocol Support:
- ATAK Plugin Port (72): Direct protobuf message transmission
- ATAK Forwarder Port (257): Large message chunking and compression
- Automatic Chunking: Handles large messages by splitting into optimal-sized chunks
- Queue-Aware Transmission: Monitors device queue status for efficient sending
- Message Acknowledgment: Full ACK/NACK handling with automatic retries
- Error Recovery: Comprehensive error handling with user-friendly messages
The plugin features a clean, tabbed interface designed for tactical environments:
- Device Scanning: One-click Bluetooth discovery of nearby Meshtastic devices
- Connection Status: Real-time display of connection state with color-coded indicators
- Device List: Sorted list showing device names, addresses, and signal strength (RSSI)
- Quick Actions: Scan, Connect, and Disconnect buttons with progress indicators
- Auto-Detection: Highlights confirmed Meshtastic devices in the scan results
- Connection Details: Shows connection type, device address, and current name
- Signal Quality: Live RSSI readings and connection state monitoring
- Statistics: Real-time message counters (sent, received, failed)
- Device Information: Hardware model, firmware version, and region settings
- Performance Metrics: Connection uptime and data throughput
- Channel Security:
- Password-based PSK generation
- Secure channel configuration
- Persistent password storage using ATAK preferences
- Device Metadata:
- Comprehensive device information display
- Node ID with hex formatting
- GPS capability detection
- Device role and region configuration
- MeshtasticManager: Central communication handler with connection state management
- MeshtasticConfigManager: Intelligent device configuration with TAK optimization
- BluetoothInterface: BLE communication layer with Nordic BLE library integration
- AtakMeshtasticBridge: High-level message routing and protocol handling
- MeshtasticBleScanner: Advanced device discovery with filtering
- ATAK Plugin Messages (Port 72): Direct protobuf transmission for small, time-critical data
- ATAK Forwarder Messages (Port 257): Chunked transmission for large payloads with compression
- Automatic Protocol Selection: Intelligently chooses optimal transmission method
- Queue Management: Monitors device transmission queue to prevent overruns
The plugin employs a sophisticated configuration strategy:
- Current State Analysis: Reads existing device configuration before making changes
- Selective Modification: Only updates settings that need optimization
- Phased Deployment: Handles critical configs that require device reboots
- Validation: Verifies configuration success and handles failures gracefully
- Install the plugin APK on your ATAK device
- Enable the Meshtastic plugin in ATAK's plugin manager
- Access via the plugin toolbar or dropdown menu
-
Pair Your Device:
- Open the Meshtastic plugin
- Go to the Connection tab
- Tap "Scan for Devices"
- Select your Meshtastic device from the list
-
Configure Security:
- Switch to the Settings tab
- Enter a secure channel password
- Tap "Save Password"
-
Auto-Configuration:
- The plugin automatically applies TAK-optimized settings
- Device may reboot during configuration (normal behavior)
- Status tab will show "Connected & Configured" when ready
- Plugin automatically reconnects to your paired device
- Monitor connection status in the Status tab
- Send/receive ATAK messages transparently through the mesh network
- Check signal strength and message statistics as needed
- Covert Operations: Disables all unnecessary broadcasts and telemetry
- Power Efficiency: Optimizes battery life for extended field operations
- Local-Only Mode: Prevents message forwarding beyond immediate mesh
- Custom PSK: Uses AES-256 encryption with user-defined passwords
- Adaptive Chunking: Automatically splits large messages for reliable transmission
- Compression Support: GZIP compression for efficient bandwidth usage
- Queue Awareness: Monitors device queue status to prevent message loss
- Retry Logic: Intelligent retry mechanisms for failed transmissions
- Multi-Device Support: Remembers multiple paired devices
- Firmware Compatibility: Works across different Meshtastic firmware versions
- Region Awareness: Automatically detects and displays device region settings
- Hardware Detection: Identifies device capabilities and limitations
- Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your Android device
- Grant location permissions (required for BLE scanning)
- Verify your Meshtastic device is powered on and in pairing mode
- Check that the device isn't connected to another application
- Allow time for device reboot after configuration changes
- Verify the channel password matches across all devices in your network
- Check that your device supports the features being configured
- Monitor signal strength in the Status tab
- Ensure channel passwords match across all devices
- Check for duty cycle limitations in your region
- Verify message sizes are within Meshtastic limits
- ATAK-CIV 5.5.0 or later
- Android SDK 21+ (Android 5.0+)
- Bluetooth LE support for device connectivity
- Nordic BLE library for reliable Bluetooth communication
- Google Protobuf for message serialization
- Android Studio with Kotlin support
- ATAK SDK 5.5.0
- Gradle 8.8.2+
- Kotlin 2.1.0+
no.nordicsemi.android:ble:2.6.1- BLE communicationcom.github.mik3y:usb-serial-for-android:3.5.1- USB serial supportcom.google.protobuf:protobuf-javalite:3.21.12- Message serializationorg.jetbrains.kotlinx:kotlinx-coroutines-android:1.7.3- Async operations
GPLv3
For technical support and feature requests, please refer to the ATAK plugin documentation or contact your system administrator.