Streamlined Compliance and Enhanced Safety for Drone Operators in Australia and New Zealand

ANRA Technologies, a global leader in airspace management solutions, and Hover UAV, a leading drone regulatory consultancy, today announced the launch of SORA-Mate, an innovative automated risk assessment tool for drone operators in Australia, New Zealand, and the wider APAC region. 

As drones become a vital part of daily operations, they transform industries such as agriculture, public safety, and critical infrastructure. Farmers now use drones to monitor crops, while police and fire services deploy them to enhance public safety. In the utility sector, drones help restore essential infrastructure more efficiently after disasters. However, as organizations seek to expand drone usage, they often face regulatory hurdles. Complex and inconsistent application processes frequently lead to lengthy approval wait times from aviation authorities, slowing the adoption of advanced drone operations.

To address these challenges, SORA-Mate was developed to automate the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) process. By streamlining submissions and ensuring compliance, SORA-Mate simplifies the regulatory journey for both operators and regulators. This automation improves application accuracy, reduces delays, and makes it easier for operators to conduct Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) flights. The platform walks users through risk analysis, mitigation strategies, and report generation by aligning with Joint Authorities for Rulemaking on Unmanned Systems (JARUS) guidelines. SORA-Mate enables operators to scale efficiently and conduct safe and compliant flights in controlled airspaces.

“SORA-Mate represents a significant leap forward in drone operation safety and efficiency," said Amit Ganjoo, Founder and CEO of ANRA Technologies. "By automating complex risk assessments, we're enabling operators to focus on their missions while ensuring the highest standards of safety and regulatory compliance."

 Key Features and Benefits of SORA-Mate include:

  • Simplified Risk Assessments: SORA-Mate guides users through the SORA process with an intuitive platform that automatically analyzes risks and recommends effective mitigations.

  • Time-Saving Automation: Generate comprehensive, regulation-ready reports in minutes, eliminating guesswork and reducing stress.

  • Compliance Assurance: SORA-Mate ensures complete compliance with JARUS standards, protecting operations from regulatory issues and enhancing safety.

  • Expert Support: With premium options, users can access the expertise of Hover UAV’s specialists, ensuring applications meet the highest standards and increasing the likelihood of regulatory approval.

  • Optional Aviation Authority Approval: Generate thorough and accurate submissions to aviation authorities, reducing delays and rejections.

“Designed specifically for the unique requirements of Australia and New Zealand, SORA-Mate makes it easy to assess risks, recommend mitigations, and generate detailed, compliant reports in minutes,” said Jackie Dujmovic, Founder and CEO of Hover UAV. “It’s all about flying smarter and safer. The days of tedious paperwork and manual calculations are over.”

SORA-Mate aims to standardize and streamline the risk assessment process for both operators and aviation authorities, potentially accelerating approvals to include Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations.

The platform offers both basic and premium options, catering to a range of operator needs and expertise levels. In addition to the application features, Hover UAV will provide SORA consultancy for operators that require more direct support. With SORA-Mate, operators can focus on flying, knowing that their compliance needs are met.

“SORA-Mate is designed with the operator in mind,” Jackie Dujmovic, CEO of Hover UAV, continued. “Our platform is not just about compliance; it’s about empowering operators to fly confidently, knowing that their missions are safe and meet all regulatory requirements.”

SORA-Mate will debut in Australia and New Zealand, with other countries planned shortly thereafter, with a rollout focused on markets whose regulatory bodies require SORA submissions to obtain permissions for more complex drone operations.