Receiving an operational authorization in the EASA Specific category often feels like a milestone worth celebrating—because it is. After months of preparing your SORA, Concept of Operations (ConOps), and Operations Manual (OM), your competent authority has signed off. But the reality is: the work doesn’t stop here. It’s just beginning.

Once approval is granted, you shift from application mode to execution and oversight. And that means putting in place a robust compliance monitoring framework to ensure that your operations consistently align with what was approved—and remain aligned as your organization grows, the tech evolves, and the rules change.

Why Compliance Monitoring Matters

An operational authorization is not a free pass. It’s a regulatory contract, with clear expectations and boundaries. You’ve committed to fly in certain environments, using specific aircraft, under documented procedures and mitigations.

Every flight you conduct—whether manual or automated—needs to stay within those bounds. Deviations can lead to enforcement, reputation damage, or operational shutdowns. Compliance monitoring ensures that doesn’t happen.

It’s not just about ticking boxes. A good compliance program:

• Detects and corrects deviations before they become incidents

• Maintains audit readiness (for both internal and external reviews)

• Enables safe scaling across teams, locations, and operations

• Supports renewal, amendment, or new authorization applications with evidence-based documentation

What Needs to Be Monitored?

Post-approval compliance spans the full drone operations lifecycle. Key areas include:

• Pilot qualifications and training: Are your pilots current? Have they been briefed on the latest procedures?

• Aircraft configuration and maintenance: Are you using the aircraft types and payloads listed in your OM? Are maintenance records and airworthiness checks in place?

• Operational limits: Are you flying within the geographies, altitudes, and mission types permitted by your authorization?

• Procedural adherence: Are flight procedures, emergency actions, and communications being followed as documented?

• Data and log management: Are all flights, anomalies, and deviations properly recorded?

The Role of a Compliance Monitoring System (CMS)

Just like manned aviation, uncrewed aviation increasingly requires structured oversight. A Compliance Monitoring System (CMS) helps ensure that internal operations match regulatory expectations—continuously, not just at audit time.

It typically includes:

• Defined compliance responsibilities within the organization

• Processes for monitoring, reporting, and correcting non-conformities

• Regular internal audits and operational reviews

• Evidence trails for competent authorities

This isn’t just for large organizations. Even smaller operators with complex or cross-border operations benefit from proactive oversight.

How AirHub Supports You

At AirHub, we’ve helped dozens of organizations move beyond one-time approvals toward sustainable and scalable drone programs. We offer:

Consultancy Support

• Designing and implementing a fit-for-purpose CMS tailored to your operations

• Performing internal audits and compliance checks

• Supporting post-authorization change management and amendments

• Aligning your CMS with future requirements (e.g. LUC-level privileges)

Software Support

Our Drone Operations Platform offers built-in compliance features:

• Track pilot qualifications and flight authorizations

• Log and manage flights with linked ConOps and checklists

• Monitor live operations for adherence to mission limits

• Store audit-ready documentation (OM, SORA, evidence of mitigations)

• Flag anomalies or out-of-envelope operations

For public safety and critical infrastructure users, our Drone Operations Center (DOC) provides added situational awareness and control - especially useful for remote or automated operations.

Final Thought

The approval may be the start of your operations, but compliance is what keeps you flying. By setting up the right monitoring tools and processes, you’ll not only meet your regulatory obligations, but also build a safer, more accountable, and more future-ready drone program.

Need help designing your compliance monitoring setup or choosing the right tooling? Let’s talk.