Starlink Obstruction Checker — Free Sky View Analysis
Upload a sky photo — we detect obstructions and estimate Starlink viability. 100% local, no data leaves your browser.
How to take the photo
- Stand where the dish will mount
- Point your phone straight up
- Use the widest lens available (0.5× on iPhone)
- Capture the full sky circle
- Take it around noon for clearest sky color
What we analyze
Pixel luminance + hue classification → sky vs obstruction ratio. This is a quick-check heuristic, not a replacement for the official Starlink app's satellite-path simulation. Use both for final install decisions.
How the Starlink obstruction check works
The tool analyzes pixel luminance and hue across your uploaded sky photo to classify each region as either open sky or obstruction. Bright, blue-dominant pixels count as sky; darker, warmer pixels (tree canopy, rooflines, poles) count as blocked. The ratio between the two gives you a single sky-visibility percentage.
Starlink requires a wide cone of open sky — approximately 100° field of view — to maintain consistent contact with low-Earth orbit satellites passing overhead at 550 km altitude. Even a few percent of obstruction can cause intermittent dropouts every few minutes as satellites pass behind trees or structures.
Everything runs client-side in your browser — no image data leaves your device. After processing, you get a color-coded overlay highlighting the obstructed zones in red/orange and an overall grade: Excellent, Good, Marginal, or Poor. The grade maps directly to expected Starlink dropout behavior based on real-world field data.
Reading your obstruction results
Excellent (85%+ clear sky): You should see virtually zero obstruction-related dropouts. This is the target for any fixed residential install.
Good (70-84%): Minor obstructions at the edge of the dish's field of view. Expect occasional 2-5 second interruptions, typically a few times per hour. Acceptable for most use cases except competitive gaming or mission-critical video.
Marginal (50-69%): Noticeable dropouts during certain satellite passes. Consider raising the dish height, trimming trees, or relocating the mount to reduce the blocked zone.
Poor (below 50%): Frequent interruptions that will affect streaming, calls, and uploads. A different mount location is strongly recommended before ordering hardware.
The Starlink app includes a built-in obstruction scanner that uses your phone's camera and AR to visualize the required field of view. Our web-based tool provides a quick estimate from a single photo when you don't have the app handy.
If your score is Marginal or Poor, the most common solutions are: (1) mounting the dish higher on a pole or roof peak, (2) installing a dedicated Starlink tower or mast ($200–500 for a 20–30 foot pole), or (3) strategically trimming tree branches in the dish's line of sight. You can track improvement over time using Starlink's official performance monitoring tools.
Installation guides from the community:For a visual guide, see How I installed my Starlink dish to clear the obstructions on YouTube.For heavily wooded setups, see How to Install a Starlink Tower — No More Obstructions!For camping and RV use, see Will Starlink Work In The Trees?
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a Starlink obstruction?+
Anything that blocks the dish's line of sight to satellites: trees, rooflines, chimneys, poles, buildings, and even seasonal foliage. Starlink needs a wide cone of open sky (roughly 100 degrees) to maintain a reliable connection, so even partial blockages at the edges of the field of view can cause brief dropouts every few minutes.
How accurate is a photo-based obstruction check?+
A single upward photo gives a solid first pass — it catches the big blockers (tall trees, nearby buildings) that account for most real-world dropout issues. However, it cannot simulate the actual satellite orbits the way the official Starlink app does, so treat it as a screening step before you commit to a mount location.
What sky visibility percentage do I need for reliable Starlink?+
Aim for at least 70% clear sky. Above 85% is excellent and should mean virtually zero obstruction-related dropouts. Between 50-69% you will likely see intermittent drops during the minutes when satellites pass behind the blocked zone. Below 50%, expect frequent interruptions that make video calls and gaming unreliable.
Does the analysis upload my photo to a server?+
No. The entire analysis runs in your browser using client-side image processing. Your photo never leaves your device, and no data is transmitted to any server. This keeps the tool fast and private regardless of your connection speed.
When is the best time to take the sky photo?+
Around midday on a clear day. You want maximum contrast between the bright sky and dark obstructions so the pixel-level analysis can cleanly separate the two. Overcast skies, twilight, and night shots reduce accuracy because the luminance difference between sky and obstruction shrinks.
Can I use this tool on mobile?+
Yes. Open the page in any modern mobile browser, tap the upload area, and either take a new photo with your camera or choose one from your gallery. For best results, use your phone's widest lens (0.5x on recent iPhones) and point straight up at the planned dish location.
What if I can't get a clear sky view at my location?+
Many users solve obstruction issues with aftermarket mounts. A J-mount on a roof peak ($30–50) gains 10–15 feet of elevation. For heavily wooded properties, dedicated Starlink poles (20–30 feet) run $200–500 installed. Several YouTube creators have documented their installations — search ‘Starlink tower install’ for step-by-step guides. If none of these options work, the Starlink Mini dish ($199) is lighter and easier to mount in constrained spaces.
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