Drone mapping, rules and restrictions for flying your drone.

Map data comes into play Before (flight planning), during (geolocation, co-activity, integration into air traffic, etc.) and After the flight of civilian drones (flight log, data processing, GDPR, etc.).

While geolocation (or geofencing) is a major issue for public safety, enabling the effective management of airspace sharing with civil and military aviation (it's worth remembering that flight authorizations requested on Alpha-Tango and/or CTRs are in practice granted by the Ministry of the Armed Forces and local authorities), geofencing drones are also essential for processing data collected by sensors installed on drones (optical, thermal, multispectral cameras, etc.).

Drone mapping for flight safety

Before the widespread adoption of drones, air traffic control was responsible for monitoring approximately 800 aircraft in real time to prevent collisions. However, the introduction of civilian drones has drastically altered this airspace management system. It's important to remember that a collision between a drone and an aircraft (commercial or fighter jet) can be enough to cause an air crash.

In the absence of responsible practices by professional and/or recreational drone pilots (as was the case in model aircraft clubs where beginners are surrounded by experienced people), the Directorate General of Civil Aviation or DGAC had to implement binding regulations on this subject, focusing mainly on three areas:

• Aircraft registration or licensing (This depends on its size) in order to easily identify the owner (the drone's identification number must be affixed to the drone). More information is available in one of our previous posts (drone certification).
• Obtaining flight authorization. Except in the case of visual overflight in an unpopulated area. allowed. The site geoportail drone This allows you to identify authorized and/or permanently prohibited zones before flying. The Geoportail drones website also allows you to find out the maximum authorized altitude at which to fly your drone. Consulting NOTAMs is also essential to know about temporary prohibitions. Before each takeoff, the operator must request flight authorization from the air authorities (CTR manager, prefecture, Ministry of the Armed Forces). This request must include a drone map to precisely define the flight plan and the planned operational scenario. More information is available in one of our previous posts regarding specific activities, drone scenarios, and the (regulations to be respected when planning missions).

• The implementation of digital reporting systems to electronically locate the drone in real time during flight. Since 2020, all aircraft have been required to be equipped with a digital identification device (a radio system transmitting in real time the drone's identification number, its spatial location, its speed, and its route). This data is collected near sensitive sites to distinguish threats (malicious drones) from drones flying nearby. Furthermore, several R&D projects are underway to utilize this data: (i) The coactivity (the objective here is to avoid collisions when several drones are operating in close proximity to each other), (ii) Geofencing (taking control of the drone when it deviates from its trajectory and/or flight perimeter) using systems independent of the vector's flight control card.

The use of data collected by the drone's sensors

Aerial imagery data (optical, thermal, multispectral, etc.) is currently used to meet specific, one-off needs. However, storing raw sensor data to supplement Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is pointless if the images are not time-stamped and geolocated frame by frame.

Since search engines available on the market are often ineffective without this information, subsequent exploitation will be very difficult (an operator is not going to go through 30 minutes of video to find a specific location).

Furthermore, the storage of this information may present risks, as the operator cannot guarantee that the stored data does not contain any aerial footage of private property or populated areas without the owner's consent, which would contravene GDPR regulations (personal data protection).

Drone mapping: the conclusion

Drone mapping is a key element for optimal drone operation. Whether before (flight planning), during (co-activity management), or after the flight (storage of flight logs and geolocated, time-stamped aerial footage), professional drone management software is essential. GESTADRONE will allow you to manage this entire process in the best possible way.

Don't hesitate to contact us if you would like to obtain more information about GESTADRONE, our drone activity management solution.