Use Cases
Use cases for governed autonomy workflows
Three governed autonomy workflows that exercise Flightworks Control. Alpha target: Q2 2026.
Workflows
Three governed autonomy workflows, one governance-first system
Select a use case to see who it's for, the workflow, and how governance supports defensible outcomes.
Who it's for
- Fire agencies needing overnight perimeter awareness.
- Incident commanders managing multi-asset operations.
- SBIR evaluators reviewing governance architecture.
Operational phases
- Pre-mission setup and sector planning.
- Launch with operator authorization.
- Autonomous monitoring with 4-tier escalation.
- Sustained operations with task leases.
- Recovery and debrief with evidence packages.
Governance features
- 4-tier escalation: Routine → Emergency.
- Multi-asset task leases (Law 2).
- Degraded mode authority contraction.
- SHA-256 hash chain audit trail.
Lead Use Case
Overnight wildfire perimeter monitoring
FireLaw is the most demanding jurisdiction in the Flightworks suite — multi-asset governance, extended autonomous operations, and escalation-tier authority over an overnight burn perimeter.
01
Pre-Mission Setup
Define sectors, assign assets, configure escalation thresholds and coverage SLAs.
02
Launch Authorization
Operator confirms readiness. System validates constraints before first sortie.
03
Autonomous Monitoring
Continuous thermal scans with hotspot classification. AI proposes, reducers authorize.
04
Escalation & Response
4-tier deterministic escalation with timeout ladders. Same inputs always produce the same tier.
05
Sustained Operations
Battery rotation with task leases. No authority escalation through delegation.
06
Recovery & Debrief
Evidence packages, deterministic replay, and after-action review for every decision.
Governance
What makes fire monitoring hard
Overnight fire perimeter monitoring exercises every governance pressure point — the hard problem where deterministic governance justifies its architectural cost.
Multi-Asset Coordination
Fleet-wide task leases with bounded, revocable assignments. No authority escalation through delegation.
Extended Autonomy
Overnight operations require governance that holds without continuous human supervision.
Degraded Mode Discipline
Less information means less authority, never more. When comms fail, the autonomy envelope contracts.
Escalation Authority
4-tier model from Routine through Emergency. Each tier requires specific authorization levels.
Architecture
Determinism boundary
Stochastic inputs (sensor data, ML confidence) cross the determinism boundary. All governance decisions are deterministic and replayable.
Who it’s for
- Agriculture teams monitoring crop health and drainage.
- Construction teams tracking progress and volume changes.
- Land management and surveying teams mapping large areas.
Workflow
- Define coverage area and mission parameters.
- Automated flight execution with consistent overlaps.
- Imagery capture with geotagged data.
- Processing into orthomosaics and elevation products.
Field-tested workflows
- Deterministic mission planning and enforcement.
- Explicit operator approvals in the workflow.
- Audit-ready documentation for each mission step.
- Repeatable mapping outcomes across runs.
Workflow
How mapping work is delivered
Select projects use field-tested workflows from mission planning through audit-ready documentation.
01
Define Coverage Area
Draw or import your target boundary. The GCS calculates optimal flight paths based on terrain, desired resolution, and aircraft capabilities.
02
Automated Flight Execution
The system generates waypoints with precise camera triggers, ensuring consistent overlap for photogrammetric processing.
03
Imagery Capture
High-resolution cameras capture overlapping images, each geotagged with precise GPS coordinates for accurate positioning.
04
Processing & Deliverables
Photogrammetric processing stitches imagery into orthomosaics, generates elevation models, and creates 3D point clouds.
Applications
Pilot mapping contexts
Agriculture
Crop health monitoring, field boundary mapping, drainage analysis, and yield estimation through regular aerial surveys.
- NDVI maps
- Drainage analysis
- Acreage calculations
Construction
Progress documentation, volumetric calculations, site planning, and as-built surveys with centimeter-level accuracy.
- Progress overlays
- Cut/fill volumes
- Site documentation
Land Management
Property surveys, boundary delineation, erosion monitoring, and conservation planning for large areas.
- Boundary surveys
- Topographic maps
- Change detection
Surveying
Traditional survey augmentation with dense point clouds, enabling faster data collection over difficult terrain.
- Dense point clouds
- Contour generation
- GCP integration
Outputs
Potential pilot outputs
Pilot engagements can generate multiple data products for analysis and review.
Orthomosaic
Geometrically corrected, georeferenced aerial imagery stitched into a seamless map with real-world accuracy.
GeoTIFF 1-3cm GSD
Digital Elevation Model
Terrain and surface elevation data for volumetric analysis, drainage modeling, and topographic visualization.
DSM / DTM Contours
3D Point Cloud
Dense point clouds for detailed measurements, BIM integration, and volumetric calculations.
LAS/LAZ Millions of points
Who it’s for
- Solar teams reviewing panel performance and hot spots.
- Building operators inspecting envelopes and insulation.
- Industrial and electrical teams triaging anomalies.
Workflow
- Plan inspection area and sensor configuration.
- Automated capture with repeatable coverage.
- Thermal orthomosaic creation and alignment.
- Anomaly detection with georeferenced reporting.
Field-tested workflows
- Deterministic logging of inspection evidence.
- Explicit human approvals before action.
- Audit-ready documentation of decisions.
- Repeatable thermal inspection workflows.
The Technology
What thermal imaging reveals
Infrared cameras detect thermal radiation invisible to the human eye. Temperature differentials reveal problems that would otherwise go unnoticed until failure occurs.
Invisible Problems, Visible Solutions
In the visual spectrum, solar panels may appear identical. Thermal imaging reveals hot spots indicating failed cells, bypass diode issues, or connection problems that reduce output and risk fire.
- Hot Spots: Failed cells, faulty connections, shading damage
- Warm Areas: Developing issues, partial shading, soiling
- Normal Operation: Healthy cells, proper function
Applications
Thermal inspection contexts
Solar Panel Arrays
Identify hot spots, failed cells, bypass diode failures, and connection issues across solar installations for field-tested workflows.
Pilot Issue identification
Logged Audit evidence
Building Envelopes
Detect thermal bridges, insulation gaps, air leakage, and moisture intrusion in roofs and facades using field-tested workflows.
Pilot Envelope review
Non-contact Inspection method
Electrical Systems
Locate overheating transformers, loose connections, and overloaded circuits in substations and distribution infrastructure for field-tested workflows.
Pilot Anomaly triage
Safe No contact required
Industrial Equipment
Monitor mechanical systems, HVAC equipment, pipelines, and processing facilities with field-tested workflows.
Pilot Equipment review
Logged Decision chain
Workflow
Systematic inspection workflow
Field-tested workflows deliver systematic coverage with repeatable flight patterns and standardized data collection under explicit approvals.
01
Mission Planning
Define inspection area, set camera parameters, and generate optimal flight paths that ensure complete coverage with appropriate overlap.
02
Automated Capture
Consistent altitude, angle, and spacing produce comparable imagery across the entire installation—essential for accurate analysis.
03
Thermal Orthomosaic
Individual thermal images are stitched into a single, georeferenced map showing temperature distribution across the entire site.
04
Anomaly Detection
Temperature thresholds identify and classify anomalies. Results are georeferenced for field crews to locate and repair.
Deliverables
Inspection outputs
Thermal Orthomosaic
Complete temperature map of the inspection area. Georeferenced for GIS integration and field navigation.
Anomaly Report
Detailed list of identified issues with GPS coordinates, severity classification, and recommended actions.
RGB + Thermal Overlay
Visual imagery aligned with thermal data for context. Helps identify physical causes of thermal anomalies.