{"id":3200,"date":"2018-02-01T14:26:46","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T13:26:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intellias.com\/?p=3200"},"modified":"2024-01-09T14:34:32","modified_gmt":"2024-01-09T13:34:32","slug":"drone-data-platform-for-safe-and-regulated-flights","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intellias.com\/drone-data-platform-for-safe-and-regulated-flights\/","title":{"rendered":"Drone Data Platform for Safe and Regulated Flights"},"content":{"rendered":"

Business challenge<\/h2>\n

Our client is a leading provider of aeronautical data and software for drones <\/span> navigation, helping make the future drone-saturated world a safer, legally regulated, and responsible place. Their product portfolio includes drone software platform for identification of restricted areas, traffic management, geofencing, remote identification, and cybersecurity.<\/p>\n

Digital maps<\/a> and location services<\/a> create the basis of software for drones <\/span>navigation. From path planning tools, fleet management software solutions<\/a>, to regulated maneuvering and avoidance of obstacles, location is key.<\/p>\n

To the customer, a US technology startup, Intellias location and urban mobility expertise<\/a>\u00a0as well as experience in platform development (e.i. financial data management platform<\/a>) were crucial for starting the partnership to create drone programing software<\/span>. The objective was to develop a secure, scalable, and flexible cloud-based UAV navigation system <\/span> for direct communication among air traffic control systems, drone operators, and drones themselves. Our client planned to reshape the autonomous drone software <\/span> business first in the USA and later expand globally. To ensure flight efficiency and air safety at the national level, the drone management platform needed a massive amount of data to map and understand the environment around drones for traffic management.<\/p>\n

Technology solution<\/h2>\n

We started the partnership at the early prototyping stage with a tentative project plan to deliver our drone software development services. The plan presupposed contribution to map production, GIS data processing<\/a>, and platform architecture, including API design, data migration, reduction of technical debt and quality control.<\/p>\n

To develop a drone programing software<\/span>, we ran the development in bi-weekly Scrum cycles with official quarterly releases. To achieve supreme quality of software for drones<\/span>, we followed quality control procedures that were aligned with the delivery goals. We practiced testing as an integral component of the development process and DevOps. The Intellias QA team automated the majority of tests run in a SiL environment and on real drones, limiting manual testing to ad-hoc checks for bottlenecks and edge cases.<\/p>\n

\"Drone<\/p>\n

Production of quality, fresh, and precise aeronautical maps was the highest priority. Our data engineers enriched and normalized 2D maps for UAV navigation system<\/span>\u00a0with safety-critical third-party data: fly zones, temporary flight restrictions, powerlines, building heights, weather and more. As a result, we delivered a TileJSONspecification for use with Mapbox GL, which not only served the mapping needs of our platform but was also offered as a map SDK for drone data processing.<\/p>\n

\"Drone<\/p>\n

Planning and operating a safe and efficient flight required modeling a highly complex flight profile. The profile considered a number of conditions: aviation regulations, automated authorization in controlled airspace via D-NAS, mass distribution, energy consumption, weather and possible obstacles. Navigating such a complex terrain required precise and up-to-date mapping, regulation compliance, real-time airspace awareness and algorithmic knowledge.<\/p>\n

\"Drone<\/p>\n

What did our client get with the drone data management software?<\/h4>\n