NorthSky tools

Practical aviation risk tools for clearer operational decisions

Six free decision-support tools. The weighted screeners ask focused questions about how your operation actually runs, while the drone-category guide follows a progressive decision path. Each tool explains its result and what may be worth reviewing next. They run entirely in your browser, nothing is sent anywhere until you choose to send it, and they support the conversation rather than replacing your safety-management, regulatory or operational-control processes.

See the tools

The tools

Choose the decision you are trying to make

Airfield operational risk

Where a risk assessment for a smaller aerodrome, airstrip or air-sports field should start, and which areas are carrying the most exposure right now.

  • Audience Airfield managers, flying clubs, air-sports centres and landowners
  • Time About 8 minutes
  • Output A priority score out of 100, an advisory band, every section ranked, and your two largest single gaps
Start the screening

Safe movement numbers

Whether the movement level at your aerodrome is supported by the circuit, radio, runway and oversight arrangements you actually have. It does not calculate a movement number.

  • Audience Operators, safety managers, flying schools and clubs at aerodromes without a full air traffic service
  • Time About 10 minutes
  • Output A weighted result out of 100, the sections carrying the exposure, and a separate change and unresolved-hazard screen
Start the screening

SORA readiness

How prepared a specific-category drone operation is for an operational authorisation application, and where the preparation is thin. It does not determine a ground risk class, air risk class or SAIL.

  • Audience Drone and UAS operators preparing a specific-category application, and organisations reviewing one
  • Time About 10 minutes
  • Output A ranked view of the weakest preparation areas, the questions behind each one, and an advisory next step
Start the screening

Just Culture and reporting culture

What actually happens in your organisation after something goes wrong: who reports, what protection the reporter has, who draws the line, and whether anybody hears back.

  • Audience Safety and accountable managers in operators, maintenance and ground handling organisations, ANSPs, airports and clubs
  • Time About 12 minutes
  • Output A weighted result across five sections, the specific gaps in order, and flags for patterns that stand on their own
Start the screening

Drop zone risk screener

A preliminary screen for established drop zones, planned off-site landings and foreseeable off-field landings, with context-specific attention flags.

  • Audience Jump leaders, parachute clubs, display teams, event organisers and landing-site assessors
  • Time About 10 minutes
  • Output A weighted result, context and attention flags, largest gaps, and a lightweight printable preliminary field record
Start the screening

Which drone category am I actually in?

A progressive route through Open, Specific and Certified-category triggers, including A1, A2, A3, STS, PDRA and SORA pathways.

  • Audience Drone operators planning an operation or checking whether the regulatory route they expect is plausible
  • Time About 3 minutes
  • Output A likely category pathway, the reasons behind it, and a separate geographical-zone and location-permission warning
Start the screening

How the tools work

1

Describe how it actually runs

Answer focused questions about your operation as it is, not only as the manual describes it. A screening tool treats “Not known” conservatively; a decision guide asks only the next question needed for your route.

2

See where the exposure sits

A screener provides a weighted advisory result and the gaps behind it. The drone guide provides a likely regulatory pathway, its reasons, and any separate location check that still remains.

3

Decide on a next step

Print or keep the result for your own records, or send it to NorthSky and we will tell you what a full assessment would involve and what it would cost.

Scope of these tools

NorthSky provides operational risk decision support and advisory guidance. Outputs do not constitute regulatory certification, aerodrome licensing, compliance verification, or formal authority determinations.

The scoring in each tool is a considered professional judgement, not a calibrated measurement, and each tool says so on its own page. Treat the result as a prompt for the right conversation. Read how NorthSky works or see the privacy notice for what happens to your answers.

Next step

Prefer to talk it through first?

If you would rather describe your operating context directly, request a focused initial discussion with NorthSky.

Request a focused discussion