SC-05: Offline
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Scenario ID | PER-001-SC-05 |
| Context / Trigger | Julia is executing an activated flight in a rural utility corridor. Cellular connectivity drops completely. Her tablet loses connection to the ATOMx backend. She cannot confirm whether her authorization is still valid or whether any notifications have been issued. |
Narrative
The ATOMx operator app detects connectivity loss. The display switches to offline mode: the last-synced authorization status is shown with a “Last Updated” timestamp and a prominent yellow “OFFLINE” banner. The cached authorization details remain visible: authorized volume, time window, conditions, and activation confirmation.
Julia checks the timestamp: last sync was 4 minutes ago. Her authorization time window has 45 minutes remaining. Per US regulatory mode (UERQ-SYS-1531), her previously approved authorization remains valid during a system outage or connectivity loss. The app displays this regulatory context: “Authorization remains valid per 14 CFR. Reconnection will restore live status.”
Julia continues the mission, monitoring aircraft telemetry directly through her GCS (which maintains a direct radio link to the aircraft). Her telemetry data is buffered locally by the ATOMx app for upload when connectivity is restored. She completes the inspection segment and begins return-to-home.
Connectivity is restored 12 minutes later. The app re-syncs: no rescind or preemption notices were issued during the offline period. Julia’s buffered telemetry uploads successfully. She completes the mission and taps “End Flight.”
Julia notes that the offline experience was not ambiguous: she knew her authorization was cached and valid, she knew the timestamp, and the regulatory context reassured her that she was operating legally. The system did not show a blank screen, an error page, or a login prompt.
Traceability
| Linked End Goals | Maintain confidence in authorization validity when connectivity is lost. |
| Linked Capabilities | State Preservation on Failure (UERQ-SYS-1500), Active Authorization Validity During Outage — US Mode (UERQ-SYS-1531), Operator Notification Content — Limited (UERQ-SYS-1542). |
| Safety Relevance | Critical: Ambiguous offline behavior could cause Julia to abort a safe flight unnecessarily, or conversely, to continue a flight whose authorization has actually been rescinded. The cached display and regulatory context are safety-relevant information. |