Overview

Before UAV routes can be approved by aviation authorities, operators must often submit spatial documentation showing the geographic extent of proposed flight corridors and their potential exposure zones. Population Explorer (PopEx) simplifies this process by allowing users to export polygons, corridors, and buffer zones directly in formats accepted by most civil aviation agencies.

Exports from PopEx can be used to demonstrate route boundaries, compliance buffers, and population exposure areas. Each export file includes coordinate metadata and aligns with standard geographic reference systems required for regulatory review.

Scenario Example

A UAV operator planning a delivery route across Nairobi needs to submit a route corridor and population overlay to the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA). In PopEx, they create a 250 m buffer around the flight path, overlay the population grid, and export both layers as a KML file. The exported map is then included in the compliance submission package.

Step-by-Step: Exporting Polygons for UAV Compliance

1. Ensure your flight path and buffered corridor are finalized in PopEx.

2. Click on the parent folder or the polygon item representing your UAV route area.

3. Go to Export → KML to generate a .kml file suitable for GIS software and aviation compliance systems.

4. For Excel-based reporting, choose Export → Excel to include population totals, density, and area metrics.

5. Confirm the export’s coordinate reference (WGS 84) matches the submission requirements of your aviation authority.

6. Save the exported file to your workspace, rename it clearly (e.g., “RouteA_BufferedLine_KCAA.kml”), and include it with your documentation package.

PopEx Export Formats

• KML/KMZ — Ideal for geospatial submissions; opens in Google Earth, QGIS, or government GIS portals.

• Excel — Contains tabular summaries for reporting population, area, and density per corridor.

• GeoJSON (Enterprise feature) — Used for API-driven compliance dashboards or automation pipelines.

Best Practices

• Include only finalized and validated polygons in exports—avoid draft shapes or overlapping corridors.

• Use descriptive filenames for clarity in multi-route submissions (e.g., “Route_Corridor_250m_PopulationExposure.kml”).

• Verify coordinate precision to six decimal places for accuracy within national airspace maps.

• Store all exported files in a centralized compliance archive to support future audits.

Example Applications

Verification

Open the exported KML file in a GIS viewer (Google Earth or QGIS) to confirm boundaries align with the intended route. Check attribute tables in Excel exports for correct population totals. Ensure projection settings (WGS 84) match the compliance system’s expectations.

Next Steps

• Measuring Population under UAV Routes

• Evaluating Population Risk Zones for UAV

• UAV Flight Path Mapping hub