Resources

As drone operations continue to evolve in scale and complexity, with the rise of Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS), Drone-in-a-Box (DiaB) systems, and highly automated mission planning, ensuring safe and compliant operations extends far beyond airworthiness and flight permissions. Operators must also account for the broader impacts of their operations on society and the environment.

This blog highlights the critical role of security, privacy, and environmental management in modern drone operations. These elements are increasingly embedded in the expectations of regulators, the public, and professional end users, and are essential to establishing trust, compliance, and operational excellence.

AirHub’s software platform and consultancy services help organizations align with these key values, whether they are public authorities, private companies, or infrastructure operators.

1. Security: Safeguarding Systems, Data, and Operational Integrity

Uncrewed systems are inherently exposed to digital vulnerabilities. They rely on remote command links, GPS signals, cloud-based communications, and software-based control systems. Without adequate security, these systems can become a target for interference, data breaches, or unauthorized control.

Key security threats include:

• C2 (command and control) link interference, including jamming and spoofing

• Unauthorized access to ground control stations or drone software

• Cyberattacks targeting cloud infrastructure, user data, or mission logs

• Compromised sensors or payloads sending false data

• Manipulation of auto-flight or safety systems

How AirHub mitigates these risks:

• Our Drone Operations Center (DOC) enforces secure login, audit trails, and role-based access controls

• End-to-end encryption ensures mission-critical data is protected throughout the entire lifecycle

• Cloud hosting via compliant and ISO 27001-certified providers guarantees a baseline of IT security

• Operators with higher security demands (e.g., public safety) can deploy on-premise or hybrid installations, limiting exposure to third-party risks

• Our consultancy team assists with the integration of cyber resilience strategies into the Operations Manual (OM), Safety Management System (SMS), and system architecture

2. Privacy: Respecting People and Upholding Legal Standards

Drones often operate in public or semi-private areas and can capture large volumes of sensitive data—video footage, photos, geolocation, and telemetry. Improper management of this data can result in privacy violations and public opposition.

Common privacy challenges:

• Unintentional or unauthorized filming of individuals

• Collection or storage of personally identifiable information (PII)

• Lack of clarity around the purpose and duration of data storage

• Absence of data minimization practices or user consent mechanisms

How AirHub supports privacy-by-design:

• Operators can limit data collection per flight, ensuring that only necessary information is stored

• Within the DOC, users can set retention periods, auto-delete policies, and audit who accessed which data

• Our platform supports visual pre-mission planning to define flight paths that avoid sensitive areas (e.g. schools, private properties)

• For more complex missions, custom map layers (e.g. local sensitive zones or privacy overlays) can be added

• Our consultancy team assists with Privacy Impact Assessments (PIA) and ensures GDPR compliance within procedures and documentation

Regulatory frameworks increasingly demand data protection accountability. For many operations, privacy is not just ethical, it’s a legal necessity.

3. Environmental Impact: Operating with Awareness and Responsibility

Although drones are more sustainable than helicopters or ground vehicles, they are not environmentally neutral. From noise emissions to battery use, operators must assess and minimize their ecological footprint.

Typical environmental considerations:

• Noise pollution, particularly near residential or nature-sensitive areas

• Wildlife disturbance, especially around nesting grounds or migration routes

• Battery lifecycle, including end-of-life management of lithium-ion cells

• Landing area erosion, particularly in remote or natural environments

Environmental safeguards via AirHub:

• Custom map layers in the DOC can highlight ecologically sensitive zones

• Flight planning tools allow users to set restrictions for altitude, time, and geofences, minimizing nuisance and disturbance

• Logging and tracking of battery cycles help ensure timely maintenance, replacements, and responsible disposal

• Operators can simulate noise exposure footprints for certain mission profiles as part of public consultation or internal policy

• Our consultancy services include support in addressing environmental aspects in the ConOps, OM, and regulatory applications (including SORA)

For operators working in proximity to nature reserves, urban green zones, or with sustainable development mandates, environmental performance is not optional, it’s a cornerstone of operational legitimacy.

Why This Matters: The Case for Integrated Responsibility

Security, privacy, and environmental care are often seen as checkboxes. But they are far more than that: they represent your license to operate.

• Security failures can lead to grounded fleets, safety incidents, or national-level sanctions

• Privacy violations risk legal consequences, loss of public trust, and reputational harm

• Environmental negligence can trigger protests, denial of permits, or ecosystem damage

AirHub helps prevent these risks by embedding these principles into your day-to-day drone operations.

How AirHub Supports You

Our integrated approach combines:

• Software tools that help you plan, execute, monitor, and log operations with built-in safeguards for compliance and responsibility

• Consultancy expertise to help you design a secure, privacy-conscious, and environmentally aware operational concept, from SORA to flight execution

Whether you're flying missions for inspection, security, logistics, or research, AirHub ensures you're not just operational, but responsible and resilient.

📩 Talk to our team to discuss your next steps toward secure, private, and sustainable UAS operations.

Stay tuned for more articles in the AirHub Knowledge Series, where we help you navigate every aspect of compliant and future-ready drone operations.

Drone-in-a-Box (DiaB) operations are rapidly transforming how enterprises approach persistent aerial surveillance, asset monitoring, and emergency response. With the capability to remotely deploy and recover drones from autonomous stations, DiaB systems enable true Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) missions—unlocking new efficiencies, especially for critical infrastructure and public safety use cases.

Yet, with this autonomy comes regulatory complexity. In Europe, obtaining operational authorisation under the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) framework is essential for such remote operations. This blog explores how to successfully apply for authorisation using SORA and how AirHub’s software and consultancy services can guide you through the process.

The Starting Point: Controlled Ground Area and Population Considerations

SORA identifies three types of ground areas:

• Controlled Ground Areas, which are managed to ensure uninvolved persons are not present. These can exist in both sparsely populated and populated environments.

• Sparsely Populated Areas, which have a low density of people on the ground and are typically found in rural or industrial locations.

• Populated Areas, where a higher density of people is expected, such as urban or suburban regions.

Many initial DiaB deployments are limited to Controlled Ground Areas—typically in sparsely populated environments such as industrial facilities, ports, or utility sites. This approach mitigates ground risk and simplifies authorisation. However, operations over populated areas are emerging thanks to new mitigation means like:

• MOC2512-compliant parachute recovery systems

• Real-time population density estimation tools

These tools support risk reduction efforts in Step 3 of the SORA, allowing for a final ground risk class that is acceptable even in denser environments.

Step 4-6 SORA Challenges: Airspace Integration and DAA

Airspace risk remains one of the biggest hurdles for DiaB operations. Since remote flights are BVLOS by nature, Detect and Avoid (DAA) systems are critical. Yet there is no widely accepted technical or legal standard for DAA under EASA regulations.

As a workaround, most current operations take place in:

• Atypical Airspace, such as flights close to obstacles that shield the UA from manned traffic

• Segregated or Controlled Airspace, enabled by ATC coordination or pre-defined NOTAMs

Strategic mitigations (Step 5) and Tactical Mitigation Performance Requirements (TMPR - Step 6) must be carefully tailored to this context.

OSO Compliance: Technology, People, and Procedures

DiaB operations place a unique burden on the UAS operator to fulfil SORA’s Operational Safety Objectives (OSOs), which span:

Technology

• The airworthiness of the UA must be demonstrated.

• The ground station or dock is considered an external system, requiring assurance of its safety and reliability.

• A robust communication infrastructure (typically via 4G/LTE or wired internet) must be validated as an external service and protected against failure.

People

• Remote pilots are often situated far from the operation, increasing the need for:

  • High-fidelity situational awareness

  • Specific training tailored to remote supervision and intervention

  • Emergency protocols for various scenarios (e.g., UA fails to return to dock)

Procedures

• Site validation should include:

  • Electromagnetic interference checks

  • Verification of C2-link coverage throughout the operational volume

• Installation procedures must follow best practices and be repeatable

• Pre- and post-flight checks must be integrated into maintenance routines, as physical access to the UA is limited

How AirHub Supports Your DiaB Authorisation Journey

Our consultancy team can support you with every step of obtaining a SORA authorisation—from developing your ConOps, applying the SORA methodology, and writing your Operations Manual, to establishing operational procedures and a Safety Management System.

At the same time, our Drone Operations Platform enables you to effectively manage your DiaB systems like DJI Dock, oversee your fleet, and ensure ongoing compliance with SORA and EASA regulations through:

• Drone Operations Center: Define your operational areas and volumes, plan flights, and overlay airspace and restriction zones.

• Compliance Tools: Maintain checklists, logbooks, pilot credentials, and maintenance schedules linked directly to your operational documentation.

Drone-in-a-Box operations are complex—but also immensely valuable. With the right planning, risk assessment, and tools, these remote systems can meet regulatory expectations while delivering on their operational promise. AirHub is here to help you do just that.

Contact us to start your authorisation process today.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates – May 27, 2025: Dubai Police, represented by the Unmanned Aerial Systems Centre (UASC), has announced a strategic collaboration with AirHub, a global provider of drone operations and fleet management software. The partnership was formalised during the World Police Summit 2025, held in Dubai from 13 to 15 May, and reflects a shared commitment to advancing operational excellence in drone policing.

As part of this agreement, Dubai Police has adopted AirHub’s Drone Operations Center to manage and coordinate its growing fleet of unmanned aerial systems. This implementation supports the region’s most advanced Drone as a First Responder (DFR) programmes and contributes to setting new standards in using drones for public safety.

Dubai Police’s UASC operates many weekly drone flights to support core policing activities such as surveillance, traffic control, emergency handling, and crowd management at large events.

“This collaboration enables us to integrate and streamline our aerial systems under a unified platform,” said Captain Muhammad Omar Al Muhairi, Director of UASC. “It enhances operational efficiency, safety, and readiness in real-time mission environments.”

Stephan van Vuren, CEO of AirHub, added: “Working with Dubai Police provides a unique opportunity to develop next-generation capabilities. Their approach to DFR is among the most progressive globally and is a benchmark for public safety agencies worldwide.”

-Ends-

AirHub
AirHub is a software company specializing in drone operations, situational awareness, fleet management and compliance. With a focus on public safety, security, and critical infrastructure, AirHub provides scalable solutions that enable secure, automated, and integrated drone deployments around the world. For more information, visit:

https://www.airhub.app/