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Product Update
AirData launches cloud recording and 10-minute rewind for drone live streaming
September 10, 2026
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x min read
AirData has launched Stream Recording and Rewind for AirData Live Streaming, giving drone programs more control over live video during an operation and after the flight.
The update includes three new capabilities:
- 10-minute Rewind: Jump back through up to the previous 10 minutes while the stream remains live.
- Stream Recording: Save live streams to your AirData account for playback and review later.
- Capture what happened before recording started: Start a recording after an event occurs and include up to the previous 10 minutes.
Together, these features help teams recover moments they missed, save live video for later review and preserve a copy of the stream independently of the aircraft.
As drone programs expand into Drone as First Responder (DFR), dock-based inspections and beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations, the pilot, aircraft and person making decisions may all be in different places. The person who needs to see the video may not be watching at the exact moment something important happens.
In a live operation, the most important moment does not wait for the right person to start recording. Especially on longer ops, the operator is not recording the whole time, so a key moment can go uncaptured. That's the problem we built this to solve. Teams can look back while the mission is still unfolding, preserve a second copy off the aircraft, and do it across any drone brand, dock, or flight app they already use.
- Eran Steiner, Founder and CEO, AirData
Go back without leaving the live stream
With 10-minute Rewind, authorized viewers can move back through an active stream, review what the drone already saw and then return to live.
For a public safety program, that could mean an analyst or commander joining after the drone has already reached the scene. Instead of relying on someone else to recap what happened, they can rewind the original footage and catch up while the incident is still underway.
The Huntsville Police Department has already been using the new capabilities as part of its drone operations.
We have been using AirData Live Streaming for years, and Record and Rewind has given us a tremendous new tool to capture events as they unfold. Our analysts are now not only able to watch the live feeds, but can pause, rewind, zoom and capture critical details that may have been missed as events unfold. This gives the analyst more control over the data as it comes in.
- Chad Tillman, UAS Coordinator, Huntsville Police Department, Huntsville, Alabama
The same challenge appears in remote inspection workflows. If an engineer joins after the aircraft has already passed an area of interest, they can look back at the footage immediately instead of asking the pilot to reposition the drone or waiting until after the flight to review onboard video.
Start recording after the important moment happens
Not every stream needs to be recorded from beginning to end. But sometimes the event worth saving happens before anyone realizes a recording is needed.
AirData can start a recording that includes up to the previous 10 minutes of the stream. That means the recording can preserve the lead-up to an incident, anomaly or other important event instead of beginning only when someone presses record.
Programs that prefer to record every stream can also enable automatic recording whenever a stream goes live. Pilots can start and stop recordings from the AirData mobile app, while administrators manage recording settings at the account level.
Preserve a second copy off the aircraft
Because Stream Recording writes video to AirData as it streams, the saved copy is not dependent on recovering the aircraft or its onboard storage.
If a drone is lost or damaged, or an SD card fails or is unavailable, the streamed recording remains in the AirData account.
Recordings are stored in the account's configured AirData region, including regional infrastructure outside the United States. Administrators can set retention periods so recordings are automatically removed according to the organization's policy.
Recordings can also be shared with controlled access using a PIN, expiration date and QR code.
Record streams from docks, encoders and third-party flight apps
Stream Recording is not limited to video sent from the AirData mobile app.
AirData can record incoming RTMP, RTSP and SRT streams, including feeds from dock-based systems and third-party encoders. Organizations can use the same recording and rewind workflow across different aircraft, flight applications and remote operations without requiring a specific drone ecosystem.
For teams operating mixed fleets or expanding dock-based programs, the recording workflow follows the stream rather than the aircraft brand.
Supporting the next phase of BVLOS operations
The FAA's proposed Part 108 framework for routine BVLOS operations would place greater responsibility on the operating organization and calls for detailed records covering flights, aircraft, personnel, maintenance and training.
As drone operations become more remote, cloud recording provides additional redundancy by preserving mission video independently of the aircraft and its onboard storage.
Stream Recording keeps mission video alongside AirData's existing flight, aircraft and personnel data. Recorded streams can support post-incident review, internal investigations, training and stakeholder briefings without relying solely on media that remained onboard the aircraft.
Try Stream Recording and Rewind
Stream Recording and Rewind is available for AirData Live Streaming customers.
Existing Live Streaming customers can request a trial directly through the AirData web app.
Blog
AirData surpasses 65 million drone flights as the FAA's BVLOS rule awaits publication
August 25, 2026
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x min read
AirData has passed 65 million drone flights, covering more than 850,000 drones and 470,000 pilots worldwide. The milestone comes as the FAA's final Part 108 rule for routine beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations sits with the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, where it has been under review since July 10 and where it takes its last major step before publication.
The pace has picked up. AirData passed 50 million flights in May 2025 and has added 15 million in the fifteen months since, a million flights a month. Some of that comes from existing programs getting larger. Some comes from organizations that now run drones as routine infrastructure instead of as pilot projects.
Those organizations are the ones Part 108 would govern. The rule moves accountability for a flight from the individual remote pilot to the operating organization, which becomes responsible for showing that its personnel are qualified, its aircraft are airworthy, and its operations follow approved procedures. It requires the organization to maintain a flight data collection system, keep qualification and training records for its people, and show that the person overseeing a flight is current on the aircraft being flown. Flights, personnel, maintenance, and incidents are the categories the rule names, and they are the categories AirData has captured for a decade.
Scale is also what makes the analysis possible.
Sixty five million flights is not a vanity number for us. It is why we can tell an operator that one battery is aging differently from the other nineteen packs of the same model on the same duty cycle. No single fleet is large enough to produce that comparison on its own. - Eran Steiner, Founder and CEO, AirData
Those flights come from 180+ drone types and 60 flight apps, so they reflect mixed fleets rather than a single vendor's ecosystem. AirData analyzes every battery cell after every flight and recognizes more than 880 pilot certificate types worldwide for currency tracking.
Pacific Gas and Electric flies across a 70,000-square-mile service area in California under a BVLOS waiver, and uses AirData to automate the flight, personnel, and maintenance evidence that waiver requires. Its program is an early example of the organization-level documentation Part 108 would apply more broadly.
Implementing AirData has centralized our flight logging, compliance reporting, and maintenance tracking in an automated and proactive manner. This allows our pilots, technicians, and administrators to focus on their respective missions with confidence that regulations are being followed. - Kellen Kirk, Manager of UAS and Fixed Wing Operations, Pacific Gas and Electric
AirData is a member of the Commercial Drone Alliance and has published a business readiness guide for the rule, The AirData Blueprint: Operational readiness for the Part 108 era. AirData will exhibit at Commercial UAV Expo, booth #914, September 1 to 3 at Caesars Forum, Las Vegas.
Blog
AirData Enterprise
August 3, 2026
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x min read
The data and operations layer for commercial drone programs
Pilots, aircraft, missions, and compliance in one system, across the complete flight.
View instant interactive demo
What AirData does: Across any mix of hardware, AirData Enterprise captures the plan, the flight itself, and the analysis that follows. When a client or an auditor asks about a flight from last quarter, nobody has to go digging for it.
From flight plan to final report
1 - Before the flight
A manager assigns the crew, aircraft, and airspace before anyone leaves for the site. Pilots open the mission on their phone already knowing the plan, and an expiring credential gets flagged before someone flies on it.
- Mission planning → with airspace authorization
- Ok to Fly checks → weather and conditions
- Certification tracking → 550+ types worldwide
2 - In the air
A supervisor in the office, or a client at their desk, can watch what the pilot sees. Several flights can run side by side in one view, so one person keeps track of a whole team without leaving the office.
- Live streaming → sub-second, add-on
- Browser-based viewing → PIN protected, no account needed
- Multiview dashboard → feeds appear as pilots go live
3 - After landing
The pilot packs up and the analysis is already running. Weeks later, when an insurer or a client asks for records across a date range, you filter and export instead of rebuilding the file by hand.
- No manual data entry → logs sync or upload directly
- Fault and threshold alerts → as each flight syncs
- Compliance reports → for authorities in any region
Why programs choose AirData
Fewer aircraft lost to problems you could have caught
Battery and mechanical faults show up in the flight data as they develop, so an aircraft can be grounded before a problem becomes a loss. Airframe hours and battery cycles are tracked per asset, so service is scheduled ahead of a failure.
Hours back every month
Timestamp, location, pilot, aircraft, and mission type are captured without anyone typing them in, so a report that used to mean an afternoon in spreadsheets comes out in seconds.
Compliance ready before anyone asks
Certifications, waivers, and registrations are flagged before they lapse, and the evidence behind every flight is already assembled. Built for the Part 108 era in the US and the equivalent frameworks emerging with civil aviation authorities elsewhere.
Keep flying the drones you already own
180+ drone models, 40 manufacturers, 35+ flight apps. No hardware changes, no change to how your pilots fly, and no lock-in when you add or replace aircraft.
"Implementing AirData has centralized our flight logging, compliance reporting, and maintenance tracking."
— Kellen Kirk, Manager of UAS and Fixed Wing Operations, PG&E
Add-ons
See the full Enterprise feature list
See what your program looks like in AirData
Programs use AirData to fly safer, prove compliance, reduce risk, and scale. Walk through it yourself, or tell us how your program runs.
Talk to our team
View instant interactive demo
Not running a multi-pilot program yet? Browse all plans
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Blog
FAA Part 108 Explained: Everything Drone Operators Need to Know in 2026
July 20, 2026
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x min read
FAA Part 108 is the most significant proposed change to drone regulation since Part 107 came out in 2016. It sets up a formal framework for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations, something that has been legally possible through waivers but practically difficult to scale. This post covers what the rule proposes, who it affects, what the industry is pushing back on, and what operators should be doing right now.
What Is FAA Part 108?
FAA Part 108 is a proposed rule focused on highly automated drone operations. The goal is to replace the current system of individual waivers and exemptions with a standardized, scalable framework that lets operators plan and run routine BVLOS flights. Operators would still need approval for each operation, much like in crewed aviation, but without going through the arduous waiver process each time.
Right now, BVLOS flight is legal under Part 107 only with an FAA granted waiver. Getting one takes time, the scope is limited, and other operators can’t easily build repeatable programs around them. Part 108 is designed to fix that. It covers a wide range of use cases: long-range delivery, infrastructure inspection, precision agriculture, public safety, surveying, and more.
BVLOS Today — Part 107 Waivers
1. Apply for a waiver
2. Wait through case-by-case FAA review
3. Receive a narrow, one-off approval
4. Repeat for every new operation
BVLOS Under Part 108
1. Qualify once for a permit or certificate
2. Get streamlined per-operation approval
3. Run routine, repeatable BVLOS missions at scale
The proposed rule runs more than 600 pages and is the most substantial update to commercial drone regulation since Part 107 was introduced in 2016.
Why Does Part 108 Exist? A Brief Timeline
• 2021 — BVLOS Rulemaking Committee Formed
The FAA formed the BVLOS Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) to address the need for updated regulations enabling more complex drone operations.
• 2022 — ARC Report Released
The BVLOS ARC delivered a 381-page report with 70 detailed recommendations for the new Part 108 rule.
• 2024 — FAA Reauthorization Act
Congress mandated the creation of a Part 108 rule to address BVLOS operations, reflecting urgency to establish standardized regulations across the industry.
• June 6, 2025 — “Unleashing American Drone Dominance” Executive Order
President Trump signed Executive Order No. 14307, directing the FAA to issue a proposed rule enabling routine BVLOS operations and finalize within 240 days.
• August 7, 2025 — NPRM Published
The Part 108 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was officially published in the Federal Register (90 FR 38212, Docket FAA-2025-1908), opening a 60-day public comment period.
• October 6, 2025 — Comment Period Closed
Nearly 3,100 comments were submitted. More than half addressed the proposed right-of-way rules.
• January 28, 2026 — Limited Comment Period Reopened
The FAA reopened comments on the proposed right-of-way and electronic conspicuity requirements, the most contested issues in the proposal. The reopened window closed February 11, 2026.
• July 10, 2026 — Rule Sent to OIRA for Final Review
The final rule reached the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review, its last major stop before publication. OIRA targets a July 2026 release and its review of significant rules can run up to 90 days, so timing beyond that window is still to be confirmed.
• Next — OIRA Sign-Off and Final Rule
Once OIRA completes its review, the rule can publish in the Federal Register, followed by an effective date (typically 30 to 60 days out) and staggered compliance dates. Allowing for the OIRA review window, a published final rule is most likely in late 2026 or into 2027, with full implementation expected a year or so after that.
Part 107 vs. Part 108: What’s the Difference?
| Part 107 | Part 108 | |
|---|---|---|
| Who it's for | Individual remote pilots | Organizations / operators |
| Line of sight | Visual line of sight required | Allows for BVLOS flight |
| Max drone weight | 55 lbs | Up to 1,320 lbs |
| Authorization | Per-flight waivers for BVLOS | Operating permit or certificate |
| Responsibility | Individual pilot | The operating organization |
| Automation | Pilot manually-controlled | Supports highly automated flight |
The Two Authorization Levels Under Part 108
The proposed rule requires operators to obtain one of two authorizations before conducting BVLOS flights:
Operating Permit
For lower-risk, limited-scale operations:
• Package delivery
• Agriculture monitoring
• Rural infrastructure inspection
• Training and recreational BVLOS
Operating Certificate
For higher-risk or complex operations:
• Larger aircraft or fleets
• Operations over populated areas
• High complexity highly automated missions
• Requires Safety Management System (SMS)
New Roles: Who Does What Under Part 108?
One of Part 108’s core changes is moving compliance responsibility from individual pilots to the operating organization. Two new roles are required under the proposed framework:
Operations Supervisor: Responsible for the overall safety and logistics of every flight operation. This person is the final authority on safe and secure operation of all unmanned aircraft. Qualified through training, experience, or demonstrated expertise.
Flight Coordinator: Handles tactical oversight of individual aircraft during live operations, monitoring flights in real time and intervening when needed. Each flight coordinator can oversee multiple aircraft simultaneously.
Technical Requirements: What Drones Need to Fly Under Part 108
Part 108 sets performance-based standards rather than prescriptive rules. Key technical requirements include:
Electronic Conspicuity: Electronic conspicuity refers to technologies that allow aircraft to digitally broadcast their position and identity so other airspace users can detect them. Routine BVLOS operations require that all aircraft and traffic management systems understand who is operating nearby, maintain safe separation, and document compliance with emerging right-of-way and detect-and-avoid requirements.
Remote ID: Drones must broadcast their identity and location at all times while operating. This is the most common form of drone electronic conspicuity.
Detect-and-Avoid (DAA): Drones must yield right of way to crewed aircraft broadcasting via ADS-B (another form of electronic conspicuity), using onboard or ground-based detection systems.
Redundant Systems: No single power or propulsion failure can result in loss of flight control.
Conformance Monitoring: The aircraft must continuously compare its actual position and behavior against its declared operational intent. When deviations are detected, the system must alert the operator and, where applicable, other aircraft in the area.
Cybersecurity Protection: Systems must resist electronic interference and unauthorized access.
Anti-Collision Lighting: Must be visible from 3 statute miles.
Airworthiness Acceptance: Manufacturers are responsible for demonstrating airworthiness rather than the FAA issuing a type certificate.
What Should Drone Operators Do Right Now?
1 - Audit your current operations. Figure out which missions would fall under Part 108 rather than Part 107. Long-range inspections, delivery routes, dock-based missions, and anything highly automated should be your starting point.
2 - Review your documentation practices. Part 108 has broad requirements covering pre-flight, in-flight, and post-flight records. Your logs, checklists, and maintenance history need to be complete and easy to produce on request.
3 - Check your fleet’s technical readiness. Does your current hardware support Remote ID, ADS-B detection, and the redundancy requirements in the proposed rule? Better to find gaps now than during a compliance review.
4 - Think through personnel roles. Who in your organization could qualify as an Operations Supervisor or Flight Coordinator? What training would they need? These aren’t roles you want to staff reactively.
5 - Get your compliance infrastructure in order. Part 108 will require maintenance records, pilot currency tracking, operational safety management, operational histories, and documented risk management procedures. AirData’s platform covers all of this today. Operators who have it organized before the final rule publishes will be in a much better position to move quickly.
AirData Is Already Built for What Part 108 Requires
AirData is a comprehensive system of record for the flight, maintenance, and compliance data a drone program depends on. It keeps one authoritative source of truth across your operation, so records stay complete, audits are easy to support, and conflicting information never slows you down. Without a single trusted record, a growing drone program is flying blind. Part 108 will require operators to maintain detailed, auditable records for safety, maintenance, training, and more, and AirData gives you the structure to handle that volume as your program scales.
The platform automates the work Part 108 will demand: compliance documentation creates itself, digital checklists and flight logs are captured automatically, pilot currency and maintenance records stay current, and fleet-wide analytics give program managers clear visibility into operational risk. Part 108 changes more than what you can fly. It changes how your entire operation is documented, managed, and proven compliant. Operators who build that record now will have a real advantage when the rule takes effect.
AirData is trusted by more than 460,000 pilots across 232 countries and territories, with 64M+ flights and roughly 10 trillion data points behind it, the largest known dataset in commercial drone operations. As a member of the Commercial Drone Alliance, we’re helping shape the standards coming out of the BVLOS rulemaking process.
Start an enterprise trial at app.airdata.com/enterprise
Build the record Part 108 will require, before the rule lands: Download the Part 108 Guide
Product Update
A Year of Live Streaming Updates at AirData
November 7, 2025
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x min read
Over the past year we shipped upgrades to make live streaming easier for pilots and clearer for command staff. Here’s what changed and why it helps.
1) Dynamic Multiview Player
Watch multiple drone feeds on one screen. Streams join automatically as pilots go live, so supervisors don’t juggle links during an incident.
Why it helps: faster situational awareness with side-by-side views and no manual setup.
Check out our demo video for a quick look.
2) Multi-Room Creation
Create separate “rooms” for different missions or teams (e.g., Main, Pursuit, Fire, Training). Add rooms in seconds and switch between them with one click.
Why it helps: keep operations organized, route the right feeds to the right audience, and cut down on noise.
For help creating rooms, see our tutorial.
3) New Sharing Options
Control who sees what at the room level. Invite viewers with quick share options (including temporary access) so partners can join when needed. Share and view live streams with QR codes for fast, on-scene access. You can also send stream invites by email from the AirData mobile app or the web portal.
Why it helps: simple, secure distribution—easy for outside agencies or EOC staff to join without creating accounts ahead of time.
Learn how to share your live streams with this tutorial.
4) Live Stream Alerts
Get notified the moment a stream starts. Supervisors and other stakeholders can jump in right away instead of asking, “Are we live?”
Why it helps: faster response and fewer missed moments.
To set up live stream alerts, please see this help article.
5) Interagency Collaboration
This is where it all comes together. When multiple agencies use AirData, they can stream into the same room for a single view of operations. The host agency sets up rooms to match the mission, the Multiview Player pulls in all active feeds automatically, and access is controlled with the new sharing options—QR codes for quick on-scene joins and email invites for planned partners. Live stream alerts make sure the right people are notified the moment video is available.
Why it helps: a shared, common operating picture across jurisdictions—organized rooms, automatic multiview, controlled access, and instant notifications—so everyone sees the same facts in real time and acts faster together.
Ready to start streaming?
Live streaming is an add-on to our Enterprise Plan. For more information or to get started with a free trial, contact us here, or via email at info@airdata.com.
Product Update
New Alerts, Flight Overlays on Maps, and Automatic LAANC Linking
August 1, 2025
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x min read
Our latest updates bring new tools for monitoring flight activity and managing mission compliance across your operations. You’ll find new alerts for mission boundaries, mission height limits, checklist completion, and pilot activity, along with a new feature that automatically overlays flight tracks on mission and LAANC maps. We’ve also consolidated LAANC authorizations and now automatically link flights to their corresponding LAANC requests. Let's dive in!
1) Alert: Exceeded Mission Area (as well as LAANC in US)
What it catches: A flight leaves the planned mission polygon or LAANC boundary.
The email notification includes a thumbnail map overlay so you can see the deviation at a glance.
2) Alert: Exceeded Mission Height (as well as LAANC in US)
What it catches: A flight climbs above the ceiling set in the mission plan or LAANC approval.
The notification includes a map snapshot that highlights the height violation.
3) Alert: No Checklists Assigned
What it catches: Missing pre-, post-, or both checklists after a grace period you define (as little as one hour).
Choose “Both required”, “Either is good”, or a specific checklist type when you create the alert.
4) Alert: Pilot Activity Threshold (updated)
What it catches: A pilot logs fewer flights or flight-hours than you specify over a given period—an upgrade from the older “no flights in X days” rule.
Example: Notify me if a pilot completes fewer than 5 flights or 2 flight hours within the last 30 days.
Deep-dive: Setting up Alerts help article
5) Mission & LAANC Overviews Show Flight Tracks
Open any mission or stand-alone LAANC request and the Overview tab now overlays the most recent 100 linked flights.
Click a track for date/time (linked to the flight), max height, max distance, and pilot-in-command (linked to their profile).
When you Save as PDF (missions only), the same map and a list of flights appear in the PDF—handy for client hand-offs and audits.
6) US users: Link Flights to LAANC Requests—Automatic & Manual
- Auto-link relevant flights is on by default for every stand-alone LAANC request; flights inside the authorized area/time window attach themselves automatically.
- Need to clean up older data? Open any flight and choose Actions ▸ Link Flights to LAANC to attach it manually.
- Benefit: Auditors see exactly which flights used which authorization.
Deep-dive: LAANC Authorization help article
7) US users: All LAANC Requests in One List
Stand-alone and mission-based LAANC requests now appear together in a single list everywhere you work.
Web Portal: Find them under PLAN ▸ LAANC.
Mobile Apps (iOS & Android): Both request types are now visible under the “Recent LAANC” tab.
Benefit: Review every authorization in one place—on mobile or on the web.
Questions or feedback? Reply here or contact us at support@airdata.com. Your input drives these updates!
Product Update
Blog
AirData & UVT Webinar: Introducing AirData’s New Dynamic Multiview Streaming
May 29, 2025
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x min read
AirData and UVT are co-hosting a showcase of AirData’s new Dynamic Multiview Player for Live Streaming. Trevor Hall, AirData’s Director of Customer Success will be presenting alongside Trazis Rozeboom, Officer of Papillon PD, and Jarrett Rhyner, Sales Manager specializing in public safety at UVT. The webinar will cover how the Multiview Player works, how public safety teams are already using it, and how you can incorporate it into your operations.
During critical operations, teams can’t afford to juggle disconnected drone feeds across scattered displays. Uncoordinated efforts create dangerous situations for citizens and public safety personnel. In response, drone programs across the country are evolving, but monitoring multiple live feeds during high-stakes operations has remained a fragmented challenge—until now.
AirData's new Dynamic Multiview Player for Live Streaming is changing that. The Multiview Player is designed to meet the needs of public safety and first responder agencies for whom responsiveness and adaptability are paramount. Agencies create Live Streaming Rooms to capture the video feeds they need, both from their own operators and those of partner agencies. Pilots can seamlessly enter and exit an active Live Streaming Room, with their streams automatically populating to that Room. Broadcasts are easily shared between agencies, providing a clear channel for inter-departmental cooperation.
This showcase isn’t just a walkthrough. It’s a field-ready conversation about scaling live drone streaming to make smarter, faster, and safer decisions with less screen clutter and more clarity.
Join us for the live webinar on Wednesday, June 11, at 12 PM EST.
Save your spot! - Register Here
What is the Dynamic Multiview Player?
AirData’s new live streaming enhancement allows pilots to send live streaming broadcasts to multiple agencies on a dynamic basis. Once agencies set up Live Streaming Rooms, they can invite pilots to stream to those rooms. Pilots enter and exit Live Streaming Rooms on demand, with their video feeds populating automatically to viewers. This allows operators to monitor mission-critical views side-by-side with zero guesswork, and gives command staff a unified visual of everything that matters most.
Whether you’re coordinating a DFR response, securing a live event, or conducting a complex inspection, multiview streaming reduces friction, boosts clarity, and improves efficiency, communication, and visibility throughout the chain of command.
Who Should Attend?
This webinar is built for public safety professionals and current AirData users who want to:
- Understand how the new feature works
- Hear from real users, peers, and experts who are testing and deploying it now
- See how the Multiview Player integrates with UVT’s remote operations ecosystem
You’ll also get practical insights into fleet management, live-streaming use cases, and what’s next for drone-based situational awareness.
Save Your Spot
Register now to join UVT and AirData live on Wednesday, June 11, at 12 PM EST.
Have questions or want to learn more before the event? Contact us at info@airdata.com.
Case Study
Case Study: PG&E Automates BVLOS Compliance with AirData
May 14, 2025
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x min read
Summary and Objectives
PG&E’s Drone Program
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) has long been an innovator of drone use in the utilities industry. PG&E provides natural gas and electricity to a 70,000-square-mile service area in Northern and Southern California, and their operations entail a diverse scope of activities. The use of drones has been transformative for PG&E and the utilities sector as a whole, magnifying inspection coverage, reducing aviation costs, and increasing personnel safety.
As PG&E’s drone program has expanded in scope, complexity, and size, they have leveraged AirData’s platform to help automate compliance requirements and allow their operations to scale. In this article, we will discuss PG&E’s methods to automate and unify different regulatory workflows, resulting in simpler and more intuitive procedures for their pilots, technicians, and administrators.
Significance of BVLOS Operations
At the forefront of PG&E’s current efforts are Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone capabilities. BVLOS drone flights are closely regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA has granted just over 400 BVLOS waivers across the United States in the first four years of the Part 107 waiver program, and PG&E is one of the very first utility providers to receive this authorization.
Obtaining a BVLOS waiver was motivated by the spate of wildfires in recent years, as well as the elevated risk of future fires in California. PG&E is tasked with monitoring large sections of at-risk territory in a safe and efficient manner. Because of the FAA’s close monitoring of BVLOS flights, PG&E leverages AirData’s automation capabilities to ensure thorough capture of operations data and increase the ease of reporting. This means that, even with the BVLOS waiver in place, PG&E can prioritize the continuous development of safe and scalable operations.
Kellen Kirk, PG&E’s Manager of UAS and Fixed Wing Operations, said, "Implementing AirData has centralized our flight logging, compliance reporting, and maintenance tracking in an automated and proactive manner. This allows our pilots, technicians, and administrators to focus on their respective missions with confidence that regulations are being followed. The utilities industry is rapidly innovating in drone use, and AirData is a key part of how we stay at the forefront of these changes.”
Obtaining a BVLOS Waiver
PG&E worked with Skyfire Consulting, now Skyfire AI, to obtain their original BVLOS waiver. BVLOS waivers allow them to conduct flights across extensive sections of infrastructure in areas with high threat of fire. Skyfire AI works with organizations seeking FAA COAs and Part 107 waivers.
From the very beginning, PG&E has been at the leading edge of what’s possible with uncrewed systems,” said Skyfire AI Co-Founder, Matt Sloane. “Since that time, they have been a shining example of how to implement advanced drone operations safely, and the need for more comprehensive drone regulations. We found that AirData’s automation features really helped streamlined operations on the ground, while also providing powerful tools to create mature, thorough compliance processes.”
Challenges and Solutions
BVLOS Waiver Requirements
BVLOS waiver requirements touch on virtually every step of drone flight. They include governance for aircraft activity logs, flight personnel records, and equipment service histories. Operators and fleet managers must comply with these requirements and be able to present records of adherence to FAA Administrators.
The most critical workflows for the PG&E team center around the automated capture of aircraft activity, the tracking of flight participants such as pilots and visual observers, and detailed accounts of maintenance events. This case study explores how the PG&E drone program leverages AirData’s platform to help automate various compliance workflows to create simple, comprehensive, and intuitive procedures for their drone operators and fleet administrators.
1) Key Requirement: Detailed Flight Activity and Participant Logs
The FAA waiver requires that PG&E pilots have access to key telemetry data during each BVLOS flight performed. PG&E’s internal procedures also require that these data fields be logged in their flight records. This telemetry data includes, and is not limited to, the following fields: “sUA [small Unmanned Aircraft] altitude, sUA position, sUA direction of flight, and sUAS flight mode….”
Additionally, location must be tracked to show that flights are occurring within authorized areas.
The BVLOS waiver also regulates the “direct participants” of flights such as: “the remote PICs, persons manipulating the controls, VOs, and any persons whose involvement is necessary for safety of the sUA operation.”
Joshua Hill, UAS Operations Supervisor at PG&E, said, "We are always looking to advance our use of drone technology. Our teams utilize them to access hazardous and remote locations while providing unprecedented response times. AirData’s ability to track aircraft locations, complete checklists, and schedule missions keeps us aligned and responsive. It’s incredibly easy to use, highly reliable, and backed by a responsive support team. Automating syncing helps us eliminate manual entry errors, and the intuitive interface makes it easy to access critical flight data.”
Solution: AirData’s Automated Flight Syncing and Analysis
AirData UAV supports the automated syncing of flight logs directly from the remote controllers, flight apps, or cloud servers of most major commercial drone providers. As a brand-agnostic platform, AirData leads the industry in support for flight uploads from different drone manufacturers.
PG&E has configured the AirData platform to auto-sync flights from their enterprise Skydio and DJI aircraft. Once a flight log is uploaded, the AirData platform displays key data for record-keeping, analysis, and reporting. Data fields include flight paths, flight participants, wind conditions, and flight advisories at the time of operation. Customizable checklists can be automatically synced to augment data with risk scores, safety checks, and incident reports.
PG&E uses a combination of AirData’s Standard Flight Report and Enterprise API to export flight data in a more automated manner.
2) Key Requirement: Maintenance Service and Flight Test Records
PG&E’s BVLOS waiver requires that detailed records of aircraft use and maintenance must be maintained. This includes procedures for a “functional flight test” that must occur following each maintenance service.
The waiver also stipulates that PG&E is required to “maintain each sUAS and its components in accordance with manufacturer's instructions and recommendations.” Records of any service type, such as “repair, inspection, modification, replacement, and system software upgrades” must be kept for each aircraft and its components.
Signed documentation is required to certify the date and description of the work, as well as the name of the technician. Functional flight tests must also be logged, with records showing “calendar date, sUA registration number, remote PIC who performed the functional test flight, duration of the flight, and the result of the functional flight test.”
The equipment management features in AirData have been instrumental in helping us streamline and consolidate maintenance procedures,” said Ammar Nazir, PG&E’s Expert Aircraft Maintenance Coordinator. “Automated tracking and alerting allow us to stay proactive with our maintenance efforts, while the document upload and data analysis features help ensure our work is closely documented and compliant. We are constantly updating our workflows, and AirData has allowed us to scale and evolve by providing seamless data flow between our pilots and the rest of the organization."
Solution: AirData’s Maintenance Tracking, Alerting, and Document Upload
PG&E makes use of AirData’s Maintenance, Alerting, and Equipment Management systems to track the different pieces of service data required by the FAA BVLOS waiver. The AirData platform uses the flight logs uploaded by PG&E pilots to automatically create aircraft profiles. This allows PG&E to easily maintain an up-to-date list of active aircraft, while being able to quickly access each aircraft’s flight history.
To comply with manufacturer-recommended servicing, PG&E uses AirData’s Customized Maintenance feature to create service schedules mapped to DJI’s maintenance descriptions and service intervals. Data from each flight log is automatically attributed to each aircraft, providing a seamless way to track flight counts and flight hours. The PG&E team then uses these values in AirData’s Alerts dashboard to set reminders for upcoming maintenance.
Documents for maintenance and functional flight tests are uploaded to each service event in AirData. In the case an FAA administrator requires evidence of a maintenance service, uploaded records can easily be downloaded from the AirData web portal.
For the regular export of maintenance data, the PG&E team uses AirData’s customizable Equipment and Maintenance Reports. These reports can be used to quickly export usage statistics, aircraft readiness info, and completed service items.
Results
Integrating AirData UAV into their compliance procedures has allowed PG&E to unify a large number of compliance needs in one software platform. Previously, their teams relied on a variety of separate tools to thoroughly capture data. This constrained growth and development, requiring training for unrelated toolsets, as well as burdensome manual data entry. As drones advance in capability, innovators like PG&E will continue to evolve their use cases. Safety and compliance become increasingly important as their scope of operations becomes both larger and more sophisticated.
Remote BVLOS flights are a game changer for our operations, and my priority is to make sure we innovate responsibly and safely,” said Jon Teach, PG&E’s Expert Program Manager of UAS Special Projects. “One of the largest challenges we face with this new type of operations is the maintenance requirements set forth in our waivers. Thanks to AirData’s ability to track maintenance it assures that our aircraft remain compliant with our waivers and internal procedures.”
The use of AirData has allowed their drone program to benefit from automation at multiple levels. Pilots are able to focus on flying, knowing their flight records will automatically sync to the AirData platform. Team leaders can make proactive decisions using the intelligent tracking available in the Maintenance and Alerting dashboards. This communication then empowers key decision makers as they strategically guide the evolution of the program as a whole.
PG&E’s administrators are continuously working to meet the challenges of emerging technologies and regulation. AirData allows their teams to collect a greater scope of data than what is currently required by the FAA. This provides PG&E with future-proofing against regulation changes, and sets a strong precedent for thoroughness in safety. The foundational systems they set in place apply to not only their BVLOS flights, but all of their drone operations. As the landscape of drone use becomes more sophisticated and specialized, PG&E’s use of automated fleet management, in-depth data analysis, and intelligent compliance toolsets finds them poised for growth and innovation.
Learn More
PG&E Drone Use and BVLOS
PG&E Gets BVLOS Waiver for Entire State of California
Skyfire helps nation’s largest utility company PG&E obtain BVLOS waiver for use across California
Navigating Innovation: PG&E Hosts Utility Drone Operations Conference
PG&E is getting closer to remote, autonomous line inspections
How PG&E is using remote drones in California operations
PG&E Leads the Way: Drones Transforming Utility Operations
FAA Regulations
Visual line of sight aircraft operation
AirData Features and Ecosystem
AirData’s Automated Flight Upload Capabilities
AirData Webinar on Pilot Management
Product Update
Blog
Explore the Latest at AirData: New Updates & Highlights of 2024
January 3, 2025
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x min read
Throughout the past year, we've launched a variety of updates and new features to improve your experience with AirData. We're proud to announce that the platform has surpassed 45,000,000 uploaded flight logs, demonstrating your ongoing trust and engagement with our services.
This blog covers exciting developments like our new QR Code Labels & Drone Checkouts for simplified equipment tracking, the Asset Management suite for better fleet oversight, and enhancements to maintenance customization. We’ll also highlight our streamlined certificates feature, alongside newly supported aircraft and flight apps.
My Certificates
AirData now offers a streamlined way for pilots to upload training certifications directly into their accounts. The system automatically extracts key details like expiration dates and registration numbers from compatible certificate types. Certifications can be uploaded through training school integration, email submission, or manually via the "My Documents" tab. This feature is available to all users, with storage limits varying by plan. Organizations and training providers can also integrate with AirData for added convenience. Learn more about the certificates feature here.
QR Code Labels & Drone Checkouts
We’ve introduced QR Code Labels & Drone Checkouts to streamline equipment management. Pilots can scan QR codes to check in or out drones, log maintenance, and record defects (coming soon). Additionally, the QR codes include a "lost and found" feature, enabling anonymous location reporting.The check-in/check-out, defect recording, and maintenance logging features are part of our Enterprise plan, while the "lost and found" functionality is available to all users. Learn more about QR Code Labels and Drone Checkouts.
Asset Management
Expanding on the new QR code functionality, we've launched the Asset Management suite, an add-on to our Enterprise plan. This tool centralizes equipment management, offering advanced inventory tracking and reporting for improved control over utilization, readiness, and compliance. It logs interactions for compliance and forensic needs.
Our biggest differentiator over generalized enterprise asset management systems is the ability to focus on drone-specific workflows" -AirData’s founder and CEO, Eran Steiner
Users can customize QR code labels with details like drone names and registration numbers. We're adding features like intelligent scheduling, alerting, and equipment kits, and soon, QR codes will track items like payloads and accessories
To learn more about Asset Management, click here.
Major Maintenance Updates
In 2024, we introduced several enhancements to our maintenance management system to provide greater flexibility and control for our users:
- Customized maintenance per drone type
- Disabling maintenance services
- Renaming maintenance service list types
These features are available as part of our Enterprise plan. For a comprehensive guide on utilizing these new features, please refer to our detailed article: Customizing Maintenance.
Additionally, we hosted an in-depth AirTime session where we explored these updates and demonstrated their application within the platform. You can watch the session here: AirTime Session on Maintenance Customization.
Newly Supported Aircraft and Flight Apps
We are committed to expanding our list of supported drones and flight apps, enabling each program to manage their entire fleet in a fully integrated manner.
Drones
- Autel EVO Lite Ent
- DJI AGRAS T-series
- DJI Air 3S
- DJI Avata 2
- DJI FlyCart 30
- DJI Matrice 3D and 3TD
- DJI Mini 4K
- DJI Neo
- Event 38 E400 and E455
- Flybotix ASIO
- Inspired Flight IF1200
- Quantum-Systems Trinity Pro
- Teledyne FLIR SIRAS
- Teltech XTD-120
- Wispr Ranger Pro
Flight Apps
- ATAK UAS Tool
- INAV
- FlytBase
More updates!
- Added "Find me" icon to LAANC and mission maps.
- You can now duplicate missions.
- You can now save a mission as a PDF.
- Hovering over a pilot in "Users/Pilots" highlights that pilot.
- Added search functionality to dropdown menus.
- Introduced created_after URL parameter to the API.
- Added the pilot list API.
- Added the drone/battery list API.
- Added support for knots as a unit of measurement.
- Advanced Search now allows searching by coordinates.
- Drone firmware version is now displayed for each flight.
- LAANC is now available for all plans.
- Increased the maximum weight of the 'Risk multi-choice' question to 9 (previously 5).
- Our CEO was interviewed by DroneLife. Read interview.
- Established a LAANC partnership with CAL. View announcement.
- We recently had our 20th AirTime webinar session! View AirTime.
Events
This year, we participated in major industry gatherings such as AUVSI Xponential and the Commercial UAV Expo, where we gained crucial insights into the evolving needs of our diverse user base. At the Energy Drone and Robotics Summit, we furthered our understanding of the industry’s challenges through meaningful dialogue and collaboration.
Our involvement in public safety events was highlighted by three Law Enforcement Drone Association (LEDA) conferences and the Texas Public Safety Robotics Summit. These events provided us with a deeper understanding of the specific requirements in public safety sectors.
Additionally, we attended the PG&E conference and Elevate UAV, where we had the opportunity to engage with industry leaders and customers, further broadening our perspective on UAV applications.
Looking ahead, we are excited to continue engaging with our customers at future events. Your feedback is essential and plays a significant role in refining our products and services. We look forward to meeting you in person and continuing our journey together in advancing drone data management.
We greatly appreciate your ongoing engagement with AirData. Your feedback and support are instrumental in addressing your evolving UAV data management needs. As we continue this journey together, we're excited to bring you more updates and enhancements. Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions or thoughts. Wishing you safe flying and a Happy New Year!
Blog
DroneLife Interview with AirData's CEO
December 5, 2024
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x min read
DroneLife, a leading voice in drone industry journalism, recently conducted an interview with AirData CEO Eran Steiner. Asset Management, a newly launched add-on for AirData Enterprise customers, was discussed in the context of increasingly sophisticated drone operations and regulatory requirements. The new solution aims to give Enterprise customers a centralized system with QR codes for asset accountability, with features for the tracking, scheduling, and maintenance of drone assets.
We saw a real gap in asset accountability as admins repeatedly approached us asking for a way to track the status and location of drones, payloads, remotes, and other accessories in the field,” said Steiner.
We keep a close eye on industry trends and continue to augment the AirData platform to accommodate the evolving needs of our customers," he said.
To read the interview in its entirety, visit the DroneLife site: https://dronelife.com/2024/12/...
Product Update
Blog
AirData Launches Asset Management Suite Designed for Drone Fleets
November 7, 2024
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x min read
New asset tracking and inventory allocation features provide cutting edge solutions for growing commercial drone operators already leveraging AirData’s advanced fleet management platform.
AirData UAV has launched an Enterprise Asset Management suite specifically tailored for commercial drone fleets. This software release, available as an add-on to AirData Enterprise, provides a centralized platform for drone fleet operators to manage equipment utilization, mission readiness, and compliance. Fleet managers, pilots, and technicians will be able to save valuable personnel hours with simplified workflows for end-to-end asset management.
AirData’s Asset Management implements a robust, automated check-in/check-out system using QR codes. This gives fleet managers real-time visibility into equipment custody, availability, and location. When a pilot scans an item, its location and the pilot’s AirData account are logged in a historical ledger. Managers can access a clear history of item ownership for compliance and accountability purposes. Check-in and check-out histories also facilitate more detailed asset utilization data, granting valuable insight into resource allocation, highlighting inefficiencies or areas for projected growth.
Flyaway drones, a potential liability concern for many fleets, are accounted for via a secure lost and found chat mechanism. Anybody outside the organization can scan a lost item’s QR code with their camera app to securely and anonymously chat with the equipment owner through a standard mobile browser. AirData’s automated flight data syncing, QR-based custody logging, and secure lost and found reporting combine to provide a centralized, historical dataset for any compliance requirements.
Our priority with the release of Asset Management is to give our customers greater control over their growing fleet resources," said AirData CEO Eran Steiner. "This solution offers a user-friendly way for customers to improve fleet safety, transparency, and compliance. The workflows in Asset Management are designed to integrate closely with other services in AirData, creating a more automated, centralized fleet management platform.”
Learn more about this new offering: https://airdata.com/assetmanagement
Product Update
Blog
To Address DJI’s Data Deletion, AirData Cooperates with Google to Deliver Flight Syncing to Newest Android Devices
September 24, 2024
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x min read
AirData has cooperated with Google to offer best-in-class flight syncing capabilities for users of newer Android phones and tablets. A permissions breakthrough in the latest version of the AirData UAV mobile app significantly improves the flight upload experience by allowing automated syncing from all major commercial flight apps on Android. Supported apps include DJI Fly, DJI GO 4, DJI Pilot, Autel Explorer, Autel Enterprise, Pix4D, and DroneSense, as well as other flight apps.
AirData is the only drone fleet management platform that provides the option for direct-from-device upload of flight logs. Its Auto Sync feature allows users to bypass the DJI cloud, creating a seamless and secure flight upload experience. This ability is especially important to US-based pilots of DJI aircraft as DJI announced that as of October 2024, historical flight logs from US customers will be deleted from the DJI cloud.
“Our highest priority is to ensure our customers continue to have straightforward and secure access to their flight data,” said AirData CEO Eran Steiner. “DJI’s decision to delete flight logs could potentially affect many US-based drone pilots and fleet operators. As AirData is the only platform out there that offers direct-from-device flight log syncing, we are thrilled to be able to enhance our platform to address this critical need.”
Users with phones and tablets running Android 13, 14, 15, and above can enable auto sync with the latest version of AirData UAV from the Google Play Store. After following the installation prompts and granting all requested permissions to the app, users can enable “Auto Sync” on the AirData UAV “Settings” screen.
Users on Android devices without Play Store access, such as remote controllers with built-in screens, already have access to these auto syncing capabilities. The latest APK version of AirData UAV allows users with DJI, Autel, and Parrot smart controllers to directly sync flight logs from their controllers to their AirData accounts. This version of AirData UAV can be downloaded from our website: https://airdata.com/ad/
Once AirData’s auto sync feature is enabled, flights will automatically upload to the AirData platform as soon as they are completed. These flight logs enable AirData to track flight data for compliance reporting, pilot activity, and maintenance features. The AirData UAV mobile app also allows users to perform essential mission functions such as completing checklists, checking weather and airspace conditions, requesting LAANC authorization, and live streaming of drone footage.
News
Blog
AirData Integrates Teledyne FLIR SIRAS Drone Platform to Advance Public Safety Drone Operations
September 12, 2024
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x min read
AirData has announced a flight data integration with Teledyne FLIR’s innovative, high-performance SIRAS drone. Teledyne FLIR, part of Teledyne Technologies Inc., launched the SIRAS as a security-centric aircraft to future-proof public safety and industrial inspection missions. AirData’s leading fleet management platform will now support data securely exported from the SIRAS, providing customers with a unified solution for flight data management, compliance reporting, and operational readiness.
Compatibility with AirData empowers SIRAS pilots and fleet managers to combine fast, secure flight deployment with intuitive data management for safety, training, and compliance. Teledyne FLIR and AirData collaborated to create a secure workflow for customers to retain SIRAS flight data. Stored flight records are crucial for compliance, but are also useful to organizations for pilot activity tracking, flight training, incident analysis, and alerting at scale.
AirData works closely with customers in multiple verticals to provide the tools they need to operate quickly, effectively, and safely," said Eran Steiner, Founder and CEO of AirData. "We are excited to work with Teledyne FLIR, whose prioritization of data security aligns closely with ours. Integrating the SIRAS drones and its advanced dual visible-thermal imaging technology into the AirData platform allows us to better serve our customers and continue providing them with industry-leading data analysis, fleet management, and compliance features.”
Syncing to AirData is a simple, secure process, and the AirData platform will automatically parse SIRAS flight data for relevant telemetry readings, pilot information, and compliance data. To simplify operations and compliance workflows, AirData also provides inventory management, maintenance tracking, and the creation of detailed operational reports. Customers will also benefit from sophisticated mission planning capabilities, as well as the ability to track pilot training and certification.
Focus on the current flight and grow your operation.
Use the drones and flight apps you already have, with no new tool for pilots to learn before AirData starts adding value.
