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.