Now anyone can easily report an illegal flight

In June 2024, the Polish Air Navigation Agency (PAŻP) officially launched the CoTuLata portal.pl and mobile application for Android. The service is designed to provide information on drone flights in the vicinity, and most importantly, to allow reporting of suspicious or unsafe flights to the relevant services. Thanks to CoTuLata you can monitor drone activity in your area and take action in the event of a violation or security threat.

CoTuLata Flight Information Sources

Data on drone flights near you are collected from three main sources:

1. Check-in pilot - Drone pilots declare the region in which they will conduct flights, providing information on flight times and altitudes. Under current law, every drone flight must be reported, which can be done just by check-in.
2. Missions - Reports of drone flights through the editor provided by PAŻP. These missions contain detailed information about planned flights and may include more complex flight areas that sometimes require additional authorization.
3. RemoteID data - Starting in January 2024, some drones must be equipped with transmitters that broadcast flight information such as current location and altitude. This data is only available on the CoTuLata mobile app.
   
   

Information about the remote control you can see

Anyone can see basic information that will not violate the sensitive data of the pilot, thus:

• takeoff and completion times,
• maximum flight altitude,
• pilot and drone operator number.

Flights that can be reported on the CoTuLata app

The CoTuLata app allows anyone to report drone flights that have not been reported to the system or that violate the law. Users can submit flights that:

• They are not visible on the application map
• Perform dangerous maneuvers that endanger health or property
• Violate the right to privacy

Procedure for Reporting illegal flight

The flight can be reported in the application or through the website. Applications can only be made from user accounts whose identity has been verified by providing your phone number. The process of reporting a suspicious drone flight consists of three steps:

1. Point out the place of observation - The user provides the location where he spotted the drone. You can report a flight at a distance of max 20 km.
2. Fill in the details - The report form requires detailed information about the observed flight - the altitude, whether the pilot can be seen, and the reason
3. Confirmation over the phone to 112 - In order for the report to be processed, it is necessary to confirm the report by calling the emergency number 112.

The last step is a very good one, and as drone pilots we are glad that the app developers used such a feature in the implementation. This will (we hope) ensure that only serious violations are reported.

What happens next with submissions from the CoTuLata application?

Any report that is confirmed by a 112 phone call is forwarded to the relevant law enforcement agencies that can intervene, such as the Police. Information from the reports is recorded in the CoTuLata database, allowing accurate tracking and analysis of drone flight situations.

Applications have different statuses that indicate the progress of their processing:

• New - The application was recorded but not confirmed by phone.
• During the intervention - The service has taken investigative measures.
• Forwarded for clarification - The case requires further action.
• Not confirmed - The notification did not confirm the violation.
• Completed - The intervention was completed.

This allows the system to track whether an intervention was actually made.

Benefits and Challenges

It can be seen that the portal was built on the same system as the application for pilots to report flights, viz DroneTower. The CoTuLata application is a citizen control tool that aims to enhance security and ensure the privacy of citizens. With it, anyone can contribute to monitoring the airspace and reporting irregularities.

The effectiveness of this tool depends on public awareness, and for now not everyone is aware of the regulations for flying a drone. And we're talking about both drone pilots who are unsure of their rights and ordinary people who, for example, are unsure, whether a drone can fly over the property. An information and education campaign is needed and could significantly impact both the popularity and usability of the app.

Summary

CoTuLata Portal.pl and mobile app is a tool for monitoring drone flights and reporting violations. With this solution, citizens can feel safer and actively contribute to the protection of their privacy and public safety. Drone pilots can also feel safe, as only truly illegal flights are taken into account. The Polish Air Navigation Services Agency hopes the app will help better control the growing number of drones in the airspace.