DroneDock

Streamlined drone registration and flight authorization platform using DocuSign APIs.

Comment

Inspiration

Every day, drone operators face challenges with manual registration, flight approvals, and ensuring compliance with complex regulations. We wanted to simplify these processes by building an end-to-end platform that enables operators to register drones, plan flights, and stay compliant with regulations. By combining automation, real-time validation, and document generation, DroneDock ensures operators can focus on their missions without worrying about administrative overhead. 🚁

What it does

DroneDock is an all-in-one platform for managing drone operations. Here's what it offers:

  • 🛩️ Drone Registration: Register drones, generate compliance documents, and sign agreements digitally.
  • 🗺️ Flight Plan Management: Create, validate, and submit flight plans. Generate detailed flight authorization documents with a map of the planned route.
  • 📄 Document Workflow Automation: Automatically generate and send registration certificates and flight plans using Docusign eSignatures API.
  • ✅ Compliance Validation: Ensure flight paths adhere to altitude limits and avoid restricted zones.
  • 🤖 Document Chatbot: Leverages Docusign Navigator API and OpenAI to create a chatbot that can intelligently answer queries about stored documents, helping users quickly understand document details and workflows.
  • ✅ Real-Time Dashboards: Leverating Docusign Connect to show real time status of all documents and envelopes.

How we built it

  • Frontend: Built using Next.js for a responsive and user-friendly interface.
  • Backend: Node.js with Prisma for database management and seamless integration with Postgres.
  • 🌍 Geospatial Processing: Leveraged Mapbox API for visualizing flight paths and static map generation.
  • 📜 Document Workflow: Integrated with Docusign APIs to automate document generation, signing, and status tracking.
  • 💬 Chatbot with Document Insights:
    • Used Docusign Navigator API to retrieve agreement data and document details.
    • Integrated OpenAI to build a conversational chatbot that answers questions about stored documents and agreements.

Challenges we ran into

  • Geospatial Complexity: Handling no-fly zone overlays and validating flight paths against restricted areas was challenging due to the complexity of geospatial data.
  • Docusign Integration: Automating the generation and signing of documents required a deep understanding of Docusign's APIs and workflows.
  • Time Constraints: Balancing feature scope and implementation with a tight deadline pushed us to focus on core functionality first.
  • Document Chatbot: Training the chatbot to intelligently interpret Navigator API data and provide accurate answers was a challenging but rewarding task.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • End-to-End Functionality: Successfully implemented drone registration and flight plan workflows with automated document generation and eSignatures. Seamless User Experience: Built an intuitive dashboard streamlining drone and flight management.
  • Compliance Validation: Added real-time validation to ensure flight plans meet regulatory requirements. Integration Mastery: Integrated multiple technologies, including Next.js, Prisma, Postgres, Redis, Trigger.dev, Mapbox, and Docusign, and OpenAI to deliver a cohesive platform.
  • Smart Document Chatbot: Built a chatbot that leverages OpenAI and Docusign Navigator API to provide users with insights and details about their agreements, reducing time spent on document analysis.

What we learned

  • The Importance of User-Centric Design: Simplifying complex workflows (like drone registration and flight planning) is critical for creating an intuitive user experience.
  • Geospatial Data Handling: Working with flight paths, no-fly zones, and map overlays gave us a deeper understanding of geospatial technologies and APIs.
  • API Mastery: Integrating Docusign and Mapbox taught us how to effectively use third-party APIs to automate workflows and enhance functionality.
  • Time Management: Focus on delivering core features first, while ensuring scalability for future enhancements.

What's next for DroneDock

  • No-Fly Zone Overlays: Integrate real-time restricted airspace data (e.g., FAA airport boundaries) to visually warn operators about compliance issues.
  • Team Collaboration: Add multi-user workflows for collaborative drone operations.
  • AI Compliance Checker: Implement AI-powered suggestions to optimize flight plans and ensure full compliance with regulations.
  • Global Expansion: Extend the platform to support international drone regulations and multiple languages.
  • Mobile App: Build a mobile app for on-the-go flight plan creation, approvals, and real-time tracking.

Built With

Share this project:

Updates