By Stephan van Vuren, CEO of AirHub

In the world of drone operations, thorough flight planning is the cornerstone of safe and successful missions. Whether conducting routine inspections, responding to emergencies, or managing complex large-scale operations, proper preparation makes all the difference. The old saying by James Baker, "Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance," perfectly captures the essence of why meticulous planning is critical.

At AirHub, we provide a comprehensive set of tools for flight planning that ensure operators can plan effectively, reduce risks, and improve efficiency. Our platform offers three versatile ways to plan flights, whether you’re in the office, in the field, or responding to urgent situations. In this blog, we’ll explore why proper flight planning matters and how AirHub’s Drone Operations Center (DOC) and Ground Control Applications (GCA) make the process seamless and intuitive.

Why Proper Flight Planning Matters

Flight planning is the first and most crucial step in ensuring the safety, efficiency, and compliance of any drone operation. Without adequate preparation, operators expose themselves to avoidable risks, inefficiencies, and even regulatory issues. This is particularly important for sectors like public safety, security, and critical infrastructure management, where mission-critical operations depend on accuracy and reliability.

Here’s why proper flight planning is essential:

1. Safety: Proper flight planning allows operators to account for potential risks, anticipate obstacles, and understand airspace restrictions. Ensuring that all safety protocols are followed mitigates risks, protects the public, and safeguards your assets.

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3. Efficiency: Planning ahead ensures that every mission runs smoothly, with no wasted time. This is especially critical for time-sensitive operations like search and rescue (SAR) or emergency response, where delays can have serious consequences.

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5. Compliance: Many flights, particularly BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) operations or those in sensitive areas, require regulatory compliance. Detailed flight planning ensures that operators meet all EASA, FAA and other regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of fines, penalties, or operational shutdowns.

Three Ways to Plan Flights with AirHub

At AirHub, we offer three flexible methods for flight planning, providing operators with the tools they need regardless of their operational environment:

1. Drone Operations Center (DOC) – Comprehensive planning for remote or on-site operations

The Drone Operations Center is a web-based platform designed for detailed, in-depth flight planning, typically used on larger screens. This tool allows operators to perform comprehensive planning for both in-field operations and remote operations using drone-in-a-box systems like the DJI Dock.

One of the key benefits of using the DOC is that it supports both 2D and 3D planning. This feature is invaluable for visualizing complex terrain, structures, or urban environments. The platform also offers multiple map styles, allowing operators to customize the view for specific use cases. Additionally, the DOC provides access to airspace restrictions and weather data (both current and forecasted), ensuring that operators can plan around both regulatory and environmental factors.

For remote operations, flights can be executed immediately or scheduled for automatic execution at a later time. This makes it ideal for planning pre-scheduled missions for docking stations, or preparing in-depth flight plans in advance of an operation.

2. Ground Control Applications (GCA) – Fast and efficient flight planning in the field

Our Ground Control Applications (available on DJI smart controllers, Android, and iOS devices) are optimized for quick, efficient flight planning, particularly in the field. First responders and public safety officials can benefit from pre-planned flight plans created in the DOC, which can then be opened in the GCA upon arrival at the scene of an incident. This feature saves critical time during emergencies while ensuring that the mission remains safe and compliant.

In urgent situations, flights can also be planned directly within the GCA. These applications offer pre-filled fields for information such as the pilot, drone, batteries, and equipment, making it easy to get in the air quickly. The GCA also provides access to airspace restrictions and current weather conditions, ensuring that operators can adjust to real-time changes and make informed decisions before takeoff.

3. Quick planning for public safety use cases

In high-pressure situations, public safety agencies—like law enforcement or fire departments—need to plan and launch drones quickly. The GCA is designed to support rapid flight planning, allowing operators to select their area of operation, quickly enter mission details, and proceed with pre-flight checklists in record time. The GCA also integrates the same airspace restriction and weather data as the DOC, so operators can maintain situational awareness even in fast-moving environments.

How AirHub’s Flight Planning Feature Works

AirHub's flight planning feature is robust, customizable, and designed for ease of use across different planning environments. Here’s a breakdown of how flight planning works, whether you're using the DOC or the GCA:

1. Define the area of operation

Operators can define the area of operation using either a polygon or a circle with a designated radius. These boundaries also serve as the geofence for the flight, ensuring that the drone does not operate beyond the intended area. You can add contingency volumes, ground risk buffers, and even set up internal no-fly zones to comply with regulations and ensure safe operations.

2. Access airspace restrictions and weather information

Both the DOC and GCA provide real-time visibility of airspace restrictions, ensuring that operators stay compliant with aviation regulations. You can also access both current and forecasted weather conditions, allowing you to plan around environmental factors that may affect flight safety. This is crucial when planning complex operations or operating in areas with dynamic weather.

3. Add waypoints and map markers

For more complex missions, operators can add detailed waypoints - or even entire grids - with specific latitudes, longitudes, altitudes, speeds, and waypoint actions (e.g., camera angle adjustments, hovering, taking pictures). You can also add map markers for points of interest (POIs), which can be customized with different icons, colors, and names for clear communication during missions.

4. Fill out the flight plan

Once the area and waypoints are defined, you can fill out your flight plan with critical details. This includes the operation name, date and time, flight type (VLOS, EVLOS, or BVLOS), and any tags (e.g., #training) that allow for easy filtering in your logbook. For sensitive operations in public safety, flights can be marked as confidential, ensuring that only the assigned personnel and platform administrators can access the flight details.

5. Assign personnel and equipment

With AirHub’s platform, you can assign roles such as pilot, visual/airspace observers, and payload operators. The GCA even automatically recognize your drone and batteries, making the setup process fast and efficient.

6. Perform checklists and risk analysis

To ensure safety and compliance, operators can add and complete pre-flight checklists and perform risk analysis directly within the platform. Hazards can be identified, mitigations documented, and risk levels assessed, ensuring that the flight meets both internal and regulatory safety standards.

7. Execute, save, or mark flights

Once your flight is ready, it can be executed immediately (especially for ground stations like DJI Dock), saved for future execution, or marked as completed. You can also duplicate flights or save flight plans as templates to streamline repetitive missions, ensuring consistency across operations.

Conclusion: Why Proper Flight Planning is the Key to Success

At AirHub, we believe that proper preparation prevents poor performance. By using our comprehensive flight planning tools—whether through the Drone Operations Center for in-depth planning or the Ground Control Applications for rapid, in-field planning—you can ensure that every mission is executed safely, efficiently, and in compliance with all regulations.

From handling airspace restrictions to leveraging real-time weather data, our platform provides the tools you need to prepare thoroughly and fly confidently. Whether you’re planning routine missions or responding to critical emergencies, AirHub’s flight planning tools enable you to plan effectively, minimizing risks and maximizing success.