Uncrew: The Open Autonomy Platform for Unmanned Airspace

Andi Lamprecht ·2026-05-11· 25 min read· Draft

The Problem

As drones outnumber traditional aircraft and AI enables true autonomy, the airspace faces a growing coordination crisis. Manual piloting does not scale. Fragmented ground control stations lock operators into single-vendor ecosystems. And at a national scale, autonomy fails without deconfliction.

Uncrew solves that.

The Solution

Uncrew is an open autonomy platform that works with any drone, replaces manual piloting, and brings intelligent, scalable air traffic coordination to low-altitude airspace. It is not just a ground control station – it is a cloud-native operating system for unmanned operations that coordinates every asset like a real-time playbook.

Core Platform Pillars

1. 4D Path Planning Engine

Uncrew computes optimal flight paths across three spatial dimensions plus time, using purpose-built algorithms to navigate dynamic environments and guarantee collision-free routes.

• Theta-Star Pathfinding – A C++ pathfinding engine implements Theta-star (any-angle A-star) and Field-D-star algorithms on geo-spatial grids, producing smooth, optimal paths that respect terrain, obstacles, and airspace constraints simultaneously.
• Multi-Layer Cost Functions – Routes are optimized against a composite cost model that weights terrain clearance, airspace restrictions, ground risk exposure, noise sensitivity, climb rate penalties, and turn angle constraints – all evaluated per-edge in real time.
• High-Resolution Terrain Integration – The engine ingests global SRTM1 elevation data (30m resolution) overlaid with customer-supplied LiDAR-derived Digital Surface Models for centimeter-accurate terrain avoidance. Altitude profiles dynamically switch between DSM reference during cruise and LiDAR rangefinder reference during hover phases (delivery, defensive crouch).
• Ground Risk Minimization – Population density rasters, building footprints, and road networks feed the cost function to route aircraft away from people. Road crossings are computed at near-perpendicular angles to minimize exposure time over traffic, following SORA risk buffer recommendations that scale with flight altitude.
• Airspace Constraint Awareness – No-fly areas, TFRs, NOTAMs, and protected airspaces are ingested as hard obstacles. The pathfinder treats them as impenetrable resistance fields, guaranteeing compliant routes without manual intervention.
• Digital Twin Performance Models – Aircraft parameters (climb rate, cruise speed, energy consumption, payload weight) are classified into digital twin profiles, enabling route planning that accounts for the actual performance envelope of each vehicle under current conditions.
• Mission-Aware Planning Modes – Discrete planning modes for delivery (urban package drops with winch altitude optimization), inspection (camera-angle-aware waypoint generation), surveillance (persistent loiter patterns), and emergency response (priority-queued rapid deployment).

2. Interoperable Command and Control (C2) Architecture

Uncrew implements a modular, service-oriented C2 framework designed for real-time, multi-agent UAS mission coordination. Any drone can be onboarded through standardized MAVLink command and control protocols.

• Hardware Agnostic – Integrates fixed-wing, multirotor, VTOL, and hybrid aircraft types with tailored capability profiles (payload types, flight ranges, sensor packages). No vendor lock-in.
• MAVLink Command Pipeline – A production-grade C++ middleware (mavlink-shim) translates 18+ high-level cloud commands into MAVLink 2.0 protocol messages via MAVSDK, managing the full command lifecycle: mission upload, geocage programming, flight mode transitions (arm, takeoff, land, hold, waypoint, RTL, crouch), winch control, precision landing, and return-to-home sequencing. Every command is validated against the vehicle’s current state machine before execution.
• Onboard Autonomy Layer – 44 pluggable safety policies run on the aircraft’s companion computer using an async coroutine architecture, monitoring telemetry and triggering failsafes independently of the cloud. Policies cover battery thresholds (low/critical/emergency with hysteresis), GPS position loss (5-second timeout), individual motor health (per-motor 4.5-second timeout), geofence violations, C2 loss, Remote ID broadcast, distance limits, and flight termination – all executing without any cloud dependency.
• 28+ Real-Time Telemetry Streams – The shim publishes GPS position, velocity, attitude (pitch/roll/yaw), battery (voltage/current/capacity/estimated flight time), individual motor health, IMU sensor data, winch state, distance sensor (rangefinder AGL), Remote ID status, geofence definitions, camera feed status, mission progress, distance flown, and autopilot status messages – all at configurable per-type publication rates.
• Geocage Enforcement – Every mission generates a convex hull geofence from waypoints with configurable buffer radius, uploads it to the PX4 autopilot, and enforces it in real time. Approaching-violation and outside-geofence alerts fire automatically. Geocages are recalculated and re-uploaded when Smart RTL or ALZ rerouting occurs, ensuring containment even during contingencies.
• End-to-End Encryption – AES-256 encryption and certificate-based authentication safeguard command integrity and prevent unauthorized access across the entire C2 chain.
• Modular Architecture – Adapts to local, regional, and national airspace needs. New drone types, sensor packages, and communication links plug in without re-architecting the platform.

3. Unified Airspace Management System (UAMS)

Uncrew fuses UTM, Detect and Avoid (DAA), and Remote ID data into a single real-time view of all low-altitude airspace activity, providing effective deconfliction across platforms, missions, and agencies.

• Four-Volume Conflict Detection – A real-time conflict detection engine computes four nested detection volumes per drone-intruder pair: OCDV (7,250m outer detection), OCAV (dynamic warning), Well Clear (610m horizontal / 76.2m vertical), and NMAC (152.4m / 30.48m near-miss). State transitions fire within milliseconds of boundary crossings.
• Dual-Layered Detect and Avoid – Ground-based ADS-B receivers and non-cooperative surveillance sensors provide the first detection layer. Onboard ADS-B sensors on the aircraft provide independent redundancy. A dual-authority architecture ensures avoidance maneuvers execute even if cloud connectivity is lost.
• Automated Crouch Maneuver – When an intruder penetrates the OCAV boundary, the system autonomously commands a Defensive Crouch: the aircraft pauses horizontal flight and descends via LiDAR rangefinder to 80 ft AGL, deconflicting vertically in real time. The maneuver executes automatically without operator intervention and can be manually overridden at any point.
• Dynamic OCAV Computation – The alert volume radius is computed in real time based on intruder speed, ownship altitude, descent rate, and a chain of timing constants (tracking, pilot delay, GCS latency, deceleration buffer, safety margin). Unknown intruder altitude triggers worst-case co-altitude assumption. Unknown speed defaults to 77.17 m/s (150 knots).
• Identity Trust Assessment – Every traffic track is classified with a trust level (Unknown, Declared, Weak, Strong) based on identity verification signals. Color-coded trust indicators and conformance status (Conformant/Non-conformant) help operators instantly assess threat credibility. Full flight detail panels display callsign, altitude, ground speed, heading, vertical rate, ICAO address, aircraft type, and squawk code.
• Operational Intent Visualization – Static and live operational intents from other UAS operators (including Wing, Zipline, and Manna) are displayed on the map with altitude ranges, bearing, state information, and USS provider metadata. Operators can toggle intent layers and select individual intents for detail inspection.
• Multi-Source Data Fusion – Ingests ADS-B plots at 1-2 Hz per aircraft, drone telemetry at 1-2 Hz, and non-cooperative surveillance at up to 5 Hz. Deduplicates by aircraft ID, removes stale plots after 5 seconds of silence, and identifies aircraft type from ADS-B emitter category. Source-based filtering lets operators focus on specific traffic feeds.
• SDD v2.0 UTM Compliance – Full conformance with the interUSS Shared Airspace Service Description Document v2.0, including priority-based operational intent deconfliction between low and high priority flights.
• Extensible Data Ingestion – A plug-in model enables third-party traffic data (AirDEX/VA-FIX air traffic feeds), TFR, NOTAM, and airspace advisory services to be ingested alongside native data sources.
• FAA Accepted Service – Recognized as an accepted service for mitigation of low-altitude airspace interoperability.

4. Autonomous and Distributed Unmanned Operations

Uncrew eliminates repetitive manual piloting and enables employees to focus on strategic, value-added activities. Missions execute autonomously from planning through landing.

• Autonomous Mission Execution – Missions fly themselves: takeoff, en-route navigation, delivery or inspection, and precision landing with minimal human oversight. The RPIC monitors but does not manually fly.
• In-Flight Route Recalculation – When conditions change mid-mission, the system recalculates optimal routes in real time. Operators can trigger recalculation from the Mission Console, and the new route with updated geocage uploads to the aircraft seamlessly.
• Click-to-Fly Override – When automated navigation must be manually overridden, operators select waypoints directly on the interactive map. The aircraft flies to the selected point with hold-to-confirm safety controls and geocage boundary enforcement. This enables precise manual positioning for delivery adjustments, obstacle avoidance, or contingency navigation.
• Intelligent Failsafe Cascades – 19 emergency procedures and 5 abnormal procedures are encoded into the platform with automated responses. When Uncrew C2 is lost, onboard logic waits 45 seconds, checks winch status, manages line retraction with a 30-second grace period, and commands return-to-home – all without any cloud connectivity. Total autonomous recovery completes within 105 seconds.
• Three-Tier Smart Return-to-Home – When RTH is triggered, the system attempts three progressively simpler navigation strategies: (1) pathfinder-optimized route around all no-fly areas and obstacles, (2) Uncrew RTL-Type2 which selects the shortest path home using existing mission waypoints, (3) PX4 native RTL as final fallback. A fresh geocage is simultaneously uploaded surrounding whichever route is selected.
• Precision Landing – Automated precision landing integrates with onboard camera systems (Spleen Labs) for visual approach guidance. Camera health is validated before enabling precision mode – if the camera goes offline, the system automatically falls back to standard landing. The aircraft detects touchdown and disarms automatically.
• Autonomous BVLOS Operations – Extends operational range with minimal human oversight, combining 4D path planning with continuous DAA monitoring for safe beyond-visual-line-of-sight flight.
• GPS-Denied Navigation – Supports continuous operations even in degraded or denied GPS environments using multi-sensor fusion.

5. One-to-Many and Many-to-Many Operations

A single operator manages multiple drones simultaneously through an AI-augmented command architecture. Uncrew replaces or supplements traditional ground stations with a unified software control interface.

• Scalable Operator Ratio – Purpose-built UAS control system enables a single RPIC to oversee as many aircraft as the operational context allows, with no artificial ceiling on fleet size per operator. The system satisfies regulatory RPIC requirements while maximizing throughput.
• Supervisory Oversight Layer – Mission Manager provides supervisors a network-wide view of all operations with site-based filtering, mission lifecycle tracking across 10 distinct states (Unassigned through Completed), and color-coded criticality for instant fleet health assessment.
• Mission Assignment Workflow – Supervisors allocate, reassign, and cancel missions with role-based controls. Operators manage their shift lifecycle with location-aware pre-flight verification before accepting mission responsibility.
• Many-to-Many Coordination – Synchronized missions across multiple operators and multiple aircraft ensure coordinated operations at scale.
• Multi-Agency Collaboration – Coordinate drone missions across agencies and enterprises from a single platform. Securely share mission data, media, and video streams with other operators and authorized users.
• Delegated Control – Delegate payload control, supervise mission progression, and manage mission objective queues across distributed teams sharing live streaming footage.

6. Real-Time Perception and Redundancy

• Live Video Intelligence – ASMIRA streaming delivers real-time video from the aircraft with selectable SD/HD quality, jitter buffering for low-bandwidth environments, WebSocket latency monitoring, and automatic window scaling. The RPIC uses the video feed to confirm delivery areas are clear of obstacles before every descent.
• Redundant Critical Systems – Backup systems and failsafe mechanisms ensure automated, predictable responses during system failures. The flight termination system contains independent capacitors that can deploy the parachute even without external power, triggering on excessive bank angles or sink rate.
• Automated C2 Loss Handling – Intelligent failsafe cascade: position hold, winch management (wait for lock, retract, or unspool), and autonomous return-to-home using the pre-planned mission path. Onboard logic executes independently when cloud connectivity is interrupted. PX4 autopilot engages RTL failsafe after 5 seconds of Skynode communication loss.
• Defensive Crouch – Automatic controlled descent via LiDAR when crewed aircraft are detected in proximity, deconflicting the airspace in real time. Descends to 80 ft AGL and holds until operator resumes or the intruder clears.
• Low-Energy Safeguards – Continuous battery and voltage monitoring with configurable thresholds. Delivery operations require minimum 50% capacity and 43.2V before descent. Low-energy failsafe triggers autonomous return when thresholds are breached.
• Flight Termination System – Last-resort parachute deployment system with independent power, activating automatically on propulsion failure, excessive attitude deviation, or unrecoverable sink rate.

Fleet Command and Operations

Cloud-Based Mission Dashboard

Empowers your team to command the entire fleet from a single platform with real-time situational awareness.

• Live Telemetry – 13+ real-time metrics per aircraft: C2 status, GPS integrity, battery percentage and voltage, altitude (AGL/MSL with dynamic DSM/LiDAR switching), ground speed, heading, pitch/roll/yaw attitude, winch status and line length, system temperature, and mission ETA.
• Multi-Aircraft Monitoring – Color-coded health indicators and automatic status categorization across the entire fleet. Missions organized into dynamic status categories (Unassigned, Ready, Flying, Hold, Delivery, Contingency, Timeout, Completed, Cancelled, Aborted) with empty categories auto-hidden.
• Interactive Altitude Profiles – Predicted path, real-time actual altitude, terrain elevation profile, contingency path overlays, distance markers with mission objective milestones, and interactive hover detail for altitude values at any point in the route.
• Live Airspace Traffic – Real-time positions of manned and unmanned aircraft via AirDEX integration with heading-oriented icons, altitude labels, intrusion-status color coding, and stale-data indicators. Operators toggle detail panels per aircraft and filter traffic within OCDV radius. Full flight detail panels display callsign, altitude, ground speed, heading, vertical rate, ICAO address, aircraft type, and squawk code.
• 3D Terrain and Building Visualization – MapBox-powered map renders 3D building models, terrain elevation layers, operational area boundaries, geofence overlays, controlled landing zones, and flown route history alongside planned mission routes – all on a single interactive canvas.
• Network Health Monitoring – Real-time network statistics panel displays connection quality, latency, bandwidth usage, and online/offline status for each aircraft and ground station, enabling proactive identification of communication degradation.
• Mission Criticality Alerts – Real-time notification system surfaces new mission arrivals, status transitions, assignment changes, caution and warning events, connectivity degradation, winch events, and contingency actions.
• Persistent Connectivity – gRPC-Web with Protocol Buffers delivers efficient, low-latency telemetry streams that auto-reconnect after network interruptions, ensuring unbroken situational awareness.

Mission Planning and Scheduling

• Visual Route Design – Drag-and-drop waypoints, delivery objectives, loiter patterns, inspection targets, and 360-degree survey spins directly on an interactive MapBox map with satellite imagery toggle.
• Camera and Gimbal-Aware Planning – Specify inspection targets with camera angle, altitude, and sensor resolution. Aircraft camera profiles (FOV, tilt range, sensor resolution) inform the route optimizer to calculate ground sample distance and optimal coverage. Visualize camera footprint overlays during planning.
• Mission Templates – Save and version reusable flight plans. Templates include launch/land location, waypoints, altitude, speed, camera objectives, and expected duration. Editing creates a new version; existing schedules reference a specific version.
• Recurring Schedules – Hourly, daily, weekly, or custom-interval automated missions with priority queuing for urgent operations. Missed schedules are flagged with reason codes.
• On-Demand API – Trigger missions programmatically from external systems via RESTful API with OAuth2 authentication and API key support for system-to-system integration. Responses include mission ID, estimated launch time, and status polling endpoint.
• Operations Calendar – Unified timeline view across all sites for fleet-wide operational planning with conflict detection for overlapping missions on the same dock or drone.

Delivery Operations

• End-to-End Workflow – Package pickup through winch deployment, precision altitude adjustment, delivery confirmation, and line retraction. The system supports deliveries at altitudes from 80 to 125 feet AGL with LiDAR-verified altitude accuracy.
• Dual Winch Support – The platform supports both proprietary REEL winch systems and standard MAVLink-compliant winches, with extend/retract/hold/resume commands, load state detection, lock confirmation, and configurable timeout protection. The winch subsystem automatically attempts up to four redelivery cycles if the package does not release, with the Uncrew console showing HOLD status after all attempts.
• Precision Delivery Positioning – At the delivery point, the operator can adjust the aircraft’s lateral position using the Fly To feature, selecting a new drop location on the map with hold-to-confirm safety controls. The system enforces geocage boundaries and prevents commands outside the safe zone.
• Automated Freespool – Emergency line release capability with confirmation controls for situations requiring immediate payload jettison.
• Delivery Lighting – Automatic delivery light activation illuminates the drop zone for visual confirmation via the ASMIRA video feed.

Order Management (HubOps)

• Vendor Integration – HubOps bridges between retail partner order systems and Uncrew missions. Orders flow from vendor platforms through HubOps into Uncrew as flight plans with precise delivery coordinates.
• Delivery Point Adjustment – RPICs can adjust delivery coordinates on a satellite map before takeoff to ensure flight plan accuracy for each order, with save confirmation and audit logging.
• Order Lifecycle Tracking – Full order visibility from pending through completed or cancelled, with searchable history by order ID, location, date range, and status.
• Cancellation Management – Structured cancellation reason codes (“Items not available”, “Weather conditions”, etc.) can be assigned asynchronously, allowing RPICs to make fast operational decisions while designated personnel handle customer messaging and refund processing.
• Operational Suspensions – Real-time and scheduled suspension management per droneport. Suspension records capture start/end times, initiator, reason code, and notes. Scheduled suspensions support planned outages (e.g., team meetings during operating hours).
• Manual Test Deliveries – In-flight simulated delivery capability supports training and currency maintenance without actual package release.

Fleet and Dock Management

• Drone Inventory – Track every aircraft: manufacturer, model, registration, Remote ID configuration, TPM attestation, camera/gimbal specifications, and maintenance state.
• Drone-in-a-Box Management – Real-time dock status (online/offline, battery charge level, HVAC status, weather conditions, drone present/absent) with readiness gating before mission dispatch. Status refreshes at 30-second intervals.
• Dock Health History – Historical uptime/downtime per dock with proactive alerts for anomalies (repeated failed launches, battery degradation trends, connectivity drops).
• Hardware-Agnostic Integration – Standardized dock adapter interface supports multiple dock and drone manufacturers. Adding a new dock manufacturer requires only a new adapter implementation, not core platform changes.

Safety Architecture

Encoded Emergency Procedures

Uncrew’s safety system is not a set of guidelines – it is executable logic encoded into the platform. The system manages 19 emergency procedures and 5 abnormal procedures covering every failure mode encountered in commercial BVLOS operations.

Failsafe Timing Guarantees

Every failsafe has deterministic timing:

Security, Compliance, and Trust

Security Posture

• Zero Trust Architecture – Every request authenticated and authorized, with no implicit trust between services.
• SOC 2 Compliant – Controls validated for security, availability, and confidentiality.
• FedRAMP Ready – Designed for federal deployment requirements from the ground up.
• End-to-End Encryption – AES-256 encryption and digital certificate authentication across the entire command chain, including VPN-secured video streaming.
• Zero Data Retention – Customer inspection and surveillance data passes through to your cloud storage. Uncrew never stores it.
• TPM Attestation – Aircraft identity verified through hardware Trusted Platform Module attestation.

Regulatory Leadership

• Standards We Helped Write – DroneUp contributed to the regulatory standards that govern this industry. Uncrew exceeds them.
• ASTM F3548-21 UTM Compliance – Full conformance for Unmanned Traffic Management integration with automated fleet management, including SDD v2.0 priority-based deconfliction.
• ASTM F3442 DAA Compliance – Detect and Avoid system designed against the DAA Performance Specification with geometric constants and timing parameters validated through operational testing.
• Part 108 Ready – Built for the next generation of regulations before they arrive. Architecture already supports the Automated Data Service Provider (ADSP) certification requirements anticipated under Part 146.
• Part 135 Proven – Field-tested in today’s most stringent commercial operations with major retail partners.
• Remote ID Verification – Pre-flight validation of broadcast status before every mission.
• Full Audit Trails – Every mission, command, telemetry event, and operator action logged with timestamps for operational accountability and regulatory review.
• Remote Pilot in Command – Satisfies regulatory RPIC requirements with a single pilot overseeing multiple aircraft through the Mission Console interface.

Service Assurance System

• Continuous Service Monitoring – A centralized assurance system continuously monitors, validates, and reports on the performance and reliability of all automated services supporting drone operations – pathfinding, airspace awareness, mission control, and surveillance.
• Real-Time Fault Detection – Anomalies and service degradations are detected and resolved through predefined mitigation workflows before they impact operational safety or compliance.
• ADSP Certification Ready – The assurance architecture is aligned with ASTM F3442 (DAA), ASTM S-SDSP (Surveillance), and the emerging IASMS (In-Time Aviation Safety Management System) guide, positioning DroneUp for FAA Part 146 ADSP certification.
• Public Status Dashboard – External-facing service health transparency for FAA, operators, and stakeholders, building trust through visible compliance and provable reliability metrics.

Airspace Authorization Management

• Authorization Request Workflow – Operators submit airspace authorization requests directly from the platform. Authorization areas are visualized on the map with status badges (Approved, Pending, Denied).
• Authorization Review – Supervisors and administrators review pending authorizations with full detail panels, approve or decline with reason codes, and track authorization status across the fleet.
• Jurisdiction Awareness – Jurisdiction boundaries are displayed on the map with color-coded overlays. Operators filter operations by jurisdiction, and authorization requirements adjust based on the jurisdictional context.
• Operational Intent Compliance – The platform monitors live operational intents from other UAS operators and flags conflicts automatically, ensuring every flight operates within its authorized boundaries.

Operator and Access Management

• Role-Based Access Control – Tailored interfaces for Administrators, Supervisors, Operators, Vehicle Managers, and Visitors with role-appropriate permissions enforced at every level. Progressive disclosure ensures each role sees only what is relevant.
• Enterprise Authentication – Okta-powered SSO integrates with your existing identity provider.
• Shift Management – Operators start and end shifts with location selection and pre-flight verification, controlling mission assignment flow across the network. Shift switching is accessible from any screen.
• Credential Management – FAA certificates (including Part 107 Remote Pilot), waivers (107.29 and others) with status tracking (Active, Pending, Expired), validity date ranges, and document storage. Per-operator drone registrations with Remote ID mode configuration (Standard RID, Broadcast Module, FRIA Exempt) and TPM attestation verification.
• Notification Preferences – Configurable alerts via email, SMS, and push notifications for mission events, vehicle status changes, and authorization updates.

Industrial Operations Platform

Uncrew extends beyond delivery into a multi-vertical operations platform for industrial drone customers scaling from pilot programs to hundreds of sites operating 24/7.

Orchestration and Scheduling

• Recurring Inspection Schedules – Create cron-like recurring schedules (“inspect tracks 1-40 every 6 hours”) that generate Uncrew missions automatically. Schedules can be paused, modified, or canceled without affecting in-flight missions. Missed schedules are flagged with reason.
• On-Demand Mission API – External systems trigger flights programmatically via REST API with mission template reference, priority (routine/urgent), and parameter overrides. Urgent requests queue ahead of routine scheduled missions.
• Mission Templates – Reusable, versioned flight plans with camera objectives. Editing creates a new version; existing schedules reference a specific version. Templates are cloneable and modifiable.
• Operations Calendar – Timeline view of all scheduled missions across all sites with conflict detection, filterable by site, drone, status, and date range.

Surveillance Data Pipeline

• Zero-Retention Passthrough – Inference results and detection thumbnails route from the drone through Uncrew directly to the customer’s cloud storage (S3, GCS, or Azure Blob). Uncrew never persistently stores customer inspection data.
• Webhook Notifications – Mission data availability triggers webhook callbacks with mission ID, data location URI, and summary metadata (flight duration, detection count, timestamp range).
• Delivery Status Tracking – Per-mission data delivery status (pending, delivered, failed) with manual retry capability for pipeline troubleshooting.

Usage Metering

• Customer-Facing Dashboard – Flight hours, mission counts, and data volumes filterable by site, date range, and mission type. Current billing period totals and historical trends.
• Export Capability – CSV/PDF usage reports with per-site, per-day breakdown for billing reconciliation and contract management.

Built-In Simulation and Testing

Uncrew includes native simulation capabilities that accelerate customer onboarding, operator training, and system validation without requiring live aircraft.

• Traffic Simulation – Generate simulated traffic at configurable trust levels (Unknown, Declared, Weak, Strong) to test DAA alerting, operator response workflows, and airspace deconfliction. Support for up to 10 simultaneous simulations per trust level.
• Authorization Simulation – Simulate authorization request and approval workflows, including visualization of approved areas on the map, to validate jurisdictional compliance before live operations.
• In-Flight Simulated Delivery – Execute complete delivery mission profiles (approach, hover, altitude adjustment, lateral positioning) without winch release, supporting RPIC training and currency maintenance.
• Dry Run Mission Planning – Test mission plans with simulated execution to validate routes, altitude profiles, and delivery timing before committing to live flights.
• UAV Simulation – Create simulated vehicles for testing fleet management workflows, telemetry display, and mission assignment without physical aircraft.

Deployment Flexibility

Uncrew is a multi-tenant SaaS platform by default. New customers onboard as tenants with fully isolated environments – no infrastructure to provision, no servers to manage, operational in days.

For organizations with unique regulatory, data sovereignty, or security requirements, Uncrew supports custom deployment models:

All deployment models deliver the same feature set, safety guarantees, and API surface.

Regulatory Reporting and Operational Intelligence

Operators flying under FAA exemptions and waivers face monthly reporting obligations that are manual, error-prone, and resource-intensive. Uncrew treats regulatory reporting as a first-class platform capability, not an afterthought.

• C2 Link Performance Reporting – Continuous telemetry collection captures command-and-control link quality, latency, dropout events, and reconnection behavior across every flight. Data is structured for direct inclusion in FAA monthly performance reports.
• Accident and Incident Investigation Support – Complete flight telemetry, command logs, mission state transitions, operator actions, and flag markers are recorded and queryable. The Flag feature lets RPICs mark anomalies during flight for post-flight investigation. When an investigation occurs, the data is already organized, timestamped, and audit-ready.
• Compliance Statistics – Aggregated metrics across the fleet: mission completion rates, safety event frequency, geocage adherence, failsafe activation counts, deviation tracking, and DAA encounter logs. Supports both internal safety reviews and regulatory submission requirements.
• Operational Trend Analysis – Historical data pipelines enable trend identification across C2 performance, fleet health, mission outcomes, and operator activity – surfacing issues before they become incidents.

Data and Integration

• API-First Architecture – Every capability is accessible via API, enabling deep integration with enterprise systems, ERP platforms, and analytics tools. OAuth2 and API key authentication for human and system-to-system access.
• Webhook Event Streams – Mission status, failure alerts, data delivery confirmations, and anomaly notifications in real time. Configurable per customer tenant.
• Surveillance Data Pipeline – Inference results and detection thumbnails route directly to customer cloud storage (S3, GCS, Azure Blob) with delivery status tracking and manual retry.
• Usage Metering – Flight hours, mission counts, and data volumes filterable by site, date range, and mission type. CSV/PDF export for billing reconciliation.
• Air Traffic Integration – Live air traffic positions from ADS-B ground networks and partner feeds (AirDEX/VA-FIX) displayed as an advisory map layer with heading-oriented icons and stale-data management.
• Seamless System Integration – Designed to work with FAA, DoD, DHS, and other agency platforms through standardized APIs and data formats.

Operational Impact at Scale

At a national scale, autonomy fails without deconfliction. Uncrew solves that – coordinating every unmanned asset like a real-time playbook.

Use Cases

Why Uncrew

Uncrew by DroneUp – The future of autonomy is here.