AirMap is now providing real-time geofencing alerts in its drones mobile app for iOS and Android. The free feature alerts pilots of their DJI drone's in-flight positioning and offers a visual and/or verbal alert when their aircraft approaches unsafe airspace.

The app offers digital services for drone operators that cover airspace, regulations, and provide awareness of nearby aircraft worldwide, while its real-time geofencing alerts inform pilots when they are approaching, on the edge of, or intersecting airspace areas in which drone flight is regulated (orange), restricted or prohibited (red). If the drone’s position is less than 30 seconds from entering a new airspace boundary, AirMap displays a warning message onscreen and verbally announces the warning with the appropriate message.

In releasing the new feature, the company noted a recent Embry-Riddle study that found that more than 20 percent of drone flights posed a risk to manned flight. “[UAS] pilots need easy-to-use and smart flight conformance monitoring tools that are configurable to their unique airspace environment, aircraft, and operations. Authorities need to be able to monitor conformance of all flights, and ensure that drones and other aircraft steer clear of airspace advisories, TFRs, and restricted airspace,” AirMap said. 

The alerts are also available to developer partners and OEMs via a mobile software development kit for iOS and Android.