Empowering everyone to safely take flight

The app provides airspace information to drone operators, like when and where it’s safe to fly, to ensure intended drone activities comply with Singapore’s drone laws when planning flights.

Client

Garuda Robotics

Drone startup

Timeframe

6 months to launch in Q2 2020

Platform

Mobile App • B2C SaaS

Context

It’s often difficult for drone operators to determine where they can and cannot fly. Whether you’re a person who loves to fly for fun, or a business that uses drones for mapping or photography, the first and most common question you'd ask yourself is "Where can I fly?"

It’s often difficult for drone operators to determine where they can and cannot fly. Whether you’re a person who loves to fly for fun, or a business that uses drones for mapping or photography, the first and most common question you'd ask yourself is "Where can I fly?"

It’s often difficult for drone operators to determine where they can and cannot fly. Whether you’re a person who loves to fly for fun, or a business that uses drones for mapping or photography, the first and most common question you'd ask yourself is "Where can I fly?"

Problem

  • Some of the top issues we surfaced from research and data were around accidental touches, poor navigation within app.

  • Casual drone pilots have a lack of awareness on unmanned aircraft (UA) regulations in Singapore. We confirmed that by running a survey which showed almost 40% of our users are unfamiliar with these regulations.

  • Some of the top issues we surfaced from research and data were around accidental touches, poor navigation within app.

  • Casual drone pilots have a lack of awareness on unmanned aircraft (UA) regulations in Singapore. We confirmed that by running a survey which showed almost 40% of our users are unfamiliar with these regulations.

  • Some of the top issues we surfaced from research and data were around accidental touches, poor navigation within app.

  • Casual drone pilots have a lack of awareness on unmanned aircraft (UA) regulations in Singapore. We confirmed that by running a survey which showed almost 40% of our users are unfamiliar with these regulations.

Solution

As a team, we agreed to work on improving the score of System Usability Scale (SUS) to 'OK' as the minimum, before implementing any new feature. Our goals were to:

  • reduce number of steps to complete a task

  • make it easier to edit a flight plan, and

  • allow users to access important information faster

As a team, we agreed to work on improving the score of System Usability Scale (SUS) to 'OK' as the minimum, before implementing any new feature. Our goals were to:

  • reduce number of steps to complete a task

  • make it easier to edit a flight plan, and

  • allow users to access important information faster

As a team, we agreed to work on improving the score of System Usability Scale (SUS) to 'OK' as the minimum, before implementing any new feature. Our goals were to:

  • reduce number of steps to complete a task

  • make it easier to edit a flight plan, and

  • allow users to access important information faster

My role

Along with my team, I shipped the redesigned experience for the app's map view, flight planning, and introduced the permit identification wizard.

I prepared the assets for submitting the mobile app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Along with my team, I shipped the redesigned experience for the app's map view, flight planning, and introduced the permit identification wizard.

I prepared the assets for submitting the mobile app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Along with my team, I shipped the redesigned experience for the app's map view, flight planning, and introduced the permit identification wizard.

I prepared the assets for submitting the mobile app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

What I did

  • UI redesign

  • UX audit

  • Creation of design system

  • Organize usability testing sessions

  • Prototyping

  • Gather and evaluate user requirements

  • UI redesign

  • UX audit

  • Creation of design system

  • Organize usability testing sessions

  • Prototyping

  • Gather and evaluate user requirements

  • UI redesign

  • UX audit

  • Creation of design system

  • Organize usability testing sessions

  • Prototyping

  • Gather and evaluate user requirements

Research insights​

We started by doing conducting heuristic evaluations on the app and found that it's a functional app filled with usability issues and does not look pretty.

Design system

As this project was using React component library, I created and customized colors and components following Google’s Material Design system.

Key changes to the app

After testing and iteration, we rolled out a new UI update that primarily consists of visual changes to subtly enhance the user experience through minimalist design.

Introducing... the permit identification wizard!

Although there are multiple infographics online regarding Singapore's drone laws, drone users are still unsure any whether training, permit or licence are required for their intended UA activity. As such, I decided to create a questionnaire to assist drone hobbyists in identifying suitable permit for their intended drone activity in addition to displaying airspace data.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore loved this idea and they incorporated it in their website.

Optimise flight planning interface

Currently, users struggle to interact with some buttons due to its position and small tap targets. Our goal for the redesign of the page was to improve indication of interactive elements and reduce usability problems so that it is easier to edit a flight plan.

Reflection

I learned to be meticulous by trying to reduce unnecessary edge cases and creating the designs for edge cases while working together with the developers in order to speed up the software development process.

On this page

Context

Problem

Solution

My role

Research insights

Design system

End product

Reflection