SkyGrid Drone Central
Simplified Drone Flight to Help Pilots Plan Safer Missions, Faster
MOBILE APP (RESEARCH + UX/UI DESIGN)
TL;DR
Role & Scope: Lead Product Designer owning UX strategy, roadmap alignment, and cross-functional collaboration for Drone Central Android and AerialOS enterprise platform.
Strategic Influence: Led user research with drone pilots and translated insights into prioritized features, aligning FAA-compliant workflows and influencing product direction.
Business Impact: Drove product success with 200K+ downloads in 90 days, establishing SkyGrid’s Android market presence and informing enterprise platform expansion.
Overview
At SkyGrid, a Boeing and Avathon company, I led the design of SkyGrid Drone Central, a drone flight management app powered by SkyGrid's Aerial Operating System (AerialOS™). Designed to help pilots determine when and where it’s safe to fly, the app automates mission planning and adapts in real-time to changing regulations, aircraft performance, and location data—supporting safe, secure, and efficient drone operations.
ROLE & DURATION
Senior Product Designer | SkyGrid
Research, UX/UI Design, Prototyping, Product Strategy and UX Writing
Collaborators
Project Manager, Mobile App Developers, QA Engineers and Brand Designer
2022 - 2023
CHALLENGE
Drone pilots wanted to know when and where it’s safe to fly
Commercial and recreational drone pilots face complex challenges when planning flights, including determining when and where it is safe to operate, navigating FAA regulations, and managing dynamic airspace conditions. Existing solutions often left pilots without clear guidance, leading to uncertainty, inefficient workflows, and safety risks.
SOLUTION
Enabled Safe Drone Flights with Real-Time Airspace Insights
Designed and delivered a fully reimagined flight management tool, building the app from the ground up based on user research from the existing iOS app. By addressing key usability challenges and integrating safety-focused features, the new experience streamlined fragmented, manual workflows—empowering drone pilots to confidently navigate regulations, assess real-time airspace conditions, and execute missions with ease.
Align with FAA Regulations and Safety Compliance
Keeping pilots informed and compliant with real-time airspace regulations and weather safety limits.
- VFR (Visual Flight Rules)-inspired Weather Dashboard that provides a clear, real-time visual status of flight conditions, helping pilots quickly determine if it’s safe to fly based on FAA weather safety guidelines.
- Automated Safety Check that continuously monitors airspace, weather, and location data to alert pilots of changing conditions that could impact flight safety.
- Regulatory Airspace Awareness that integrates airspace data to inform pilots of restricted zones and regulatory advisories directly within the flight planning workflow.
Effortless Planning to Autonomous Flight
Enabling pilots to quickly create, launch, and automate complex missions through a streamlined, user-friendly experience.
- Custom Flight Planning Create detailed flight paths by setting specific parameters to create tailored missions—whether exploring large areas, following precise waypoints, or managing multi-objective operations.
- Autonomous Mission Execution Ability launch and manage complex missions with automated flight control, reducing pilot workload and ensuring consistent, accurate execution from takeoff to landing.
- Third-Party Integration Connect directly with DJI’s flight dashboard to transition from mission planning to live flight operations without interruption—maintaining control across platforms for a unified experience.
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
Uncovered Key Challenges to Design a Smarter, More Intuitive Flight Experience
Advocated for and led user research on the beta version of the existing iOS app, which was originally built with Unity and translated to native iOS code. This research was leveraged to inform the design and development of the new app.
Analyzed the Existing App to Uncover Usability Pain Points
Conducted a comprehensive UX audit of the existing iOS app, reviewing and capturing screenshots of over 100+ screens, mapping user flows, and annotating key usability gaps.
Provided detailed UX recommendations to improve navigation, streamline workflows, and align with iOS design standards—laying the foundation for a more intuitive flight planning experience.
User Research Insights
Facilitated user research with 9 drone operators, including a mix of recreational and commercial pilots, through interviews and beta feedback sessions to uncover key pain points and flight planning challenges.
User Feedback
Frustrating to setup the mission in two parts (setting Take Off Location then Flight Plan)
User Feedback
Figured it out, but the tie in between the Flight Plans and Scheduling wasn't clear
User Feedback
Its a little frustrating when creating a flight plan it says "next" and then something else has to pop up
User Feedback
I'd much rather it be a whole list that I have to fill out, and then press submit
UX STRATEGY & IMPROVEMENTS
Enhanced Usability for Drone Operators in the Field
Guided by user research insights, I designed task flows, wireframes, and hi-fi mockups to simplify the experience and address key usability challenges throughout the flight planning process.
Challenge: Drone pilots wanted to know when and where it's safe to fly
Solution: Designed a weather-driven flight status dashboard, providing pilots with clear, at-a-glance flight conditions.
OTHER IMPROVEMENTS
- Simplified the onboarding process to help users quickly set up accounts and begin creating drone missions with ease.
- Redesigned the flight planning flow from the ground up, applying UX research and user feedback to simplify the process and enhance usability.
- Conducted field testing in various outdoor conditions to refine UI visibility, creating a contrast-optimized interface with large touch targets and an accessible design specifically tailored for outdoor working environments.
COLLABORATION & IMPLEMENTATION
Unified Design, Engineering, and QA to Strengthen the Final Product
Fostered strong cross-functional collaboration by aligning design, engineering, and QA efforts – ensuring a cohesive user experience, efficient implementation, and real–world validation.
Collaborated with the brand designer to create a cohesive experience that balanced functional needs with consistent branding.
Worked closely with an overseas engineering team in an Agile development cycle, delivering detailed UX documentation and interaction patterns to support effective implementation across time zones.
Assisted the QA team with flight testing, leveraging my FAA Part 107 certification to observe the app in real-world conditions.
APP SCREENS
Final Product
SUMMARY
Exceeded its 100K goal, the app reached 200K+ downloads in 90 days
While the app was well-received upon launch in August 2023, it was ultimately sunsetted due to a shift in the company's strategic direction.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Expanded market reach by unlocking a previously untapped Android user base — scaling customer acquisition in a new market segment.
- Earned measurable user feedback improvements in flight planning clarity and regulatory navigation.
- Validated a research-driven UX framework for simplifying complex, high-stakes regulatory workflows — applicable to future platform-scale initiatives.
In conclusion, this project exemplifies my ability to lead UX research, craft intuitive experiences, and collaborate cross-functionally to bring a complex, regulatory-driven product to life. While the app’s lifecycle was cut short, this experience reinforced the importance of balancing regulatory rigor, operational clarity, and user needs — a mindset I carry forward in designing scalable, mission-critical systems.
Ready to drive strategic design outcomes at scale?
Let’s connect—I’m open to new opportunities where I can apply systems thinking and human-centered design to solve complex problems, deliver measurable business outcomes, and elevate product experiences at scale.
Email me
hello@jlpstewart.com
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