1. Privacy Policy
Last Updated: January 2025
1. Information We Collect
We collect the following types of information to provide and improve our drone services:
- Personal Information: Name, email address, phone number, company details, billing information
- Location Data: GPS coordinates for drone operation mapping, flight path tracking, and service delivery
- Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, IP address
- Usage Data: App interaction data, feature usage statistics, session duration
- Media Files: Photos and videos captured during drone operations (with explicit consent)
- Flight Data: Flight logs, telemetry data, mission parameters, drone performance metrics
2. How We Use Your Information
Your information is used for the following legitimate purposes:
- Providing and improving our drone services and app functionality
- Processing service requests, bookings, and communications
- Analyzing and optimizing drone flight operations and safety
- Ensuring regulatory compliance with DGCA and aviation authorities
- Sending service updates, notifications, and important alerts
- Generating reports, analytics, and inspection documentation
- Customer support and troubleshooting
- Billing and payment processing
3. Data Security
We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your data:
- Encryption: All data transmitted is encrypted using industry-standard SSL/TLS protocols
- Secure Storage: Data stored on secure servers with regular backups
- Access Control: Role-based access control and multi-factor authentication
- Regular Audits: Periodic security audits and vulnerability assessments
- Compliance: Adherence to ISO 27001 and data protection standards
- Employee Training: Regular security awareness training for all staff
4. Data Sharing and Third Parties
We do not sell your personal information. Data may be shared only with:
- Service Providers: Cloud storage, payment processors, analytics (under strict NDAs)
- Regulatory Authorities: When legally required or for safety investigations
- Business Partners: Only with explicit consent for specific collaborations
- Legal Requirements: To comply with court orders or legal obligations
5. Your Rights
You have the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Access: Request a copy of all personal data we hold about you
- Correction: Update or correct inaccurate information
- Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (subject to legal requirements)
- Export: Download your data in a portable format
- Opt-Out: Withdraw consent for marketing communications
- Restriction: Limit how we process your data
6. Data Retention
We retain your data for the following periods:
- Account data: Duration of account + 2 years
- Flight logs: 5 years (regulatory requirement)
- Location data: 90 days (unless legally required)
- Media files: As per user preference or until deleted
- Transaction records: 7 years (tax compliance)
- Analytics data: Anonymized and retained indefinitely
2. Background Location Permissions
Last Updated: January 2025
Why We Need Background Location Access
Background location access is essential for safe and effective drone operations:
- Real-time Drone Tracking: Monitor active drone flights continuously, even when the app is minimized or in the background
- Geofencing & Safety: Ensure drones operate within authorized zones and receive real-time alerts for restricted or no-fly areas
- Flight Path Recording: Maintain accurate, complete logs of drone flight paths for regulatory compliance and safety analysis
- Emergency Location Services: Enable quick, precise location identification in case of drone emergencies or crashes
- Automated Return-to-Home: Calculate optimal return paths based on current location when battery is low or signal is lost
- Multi-Drone Coordination: Track multiple drones simultaneously for complex operations
When Location Data is Collected
Location data is collected only during specific operational scenarios:
- During active drone flight operations and missions
- When geofencing safety features are enabled
- For flight plan creation, optimization, and route planning
- When using the "Find My Drone" feature
- During pilot training sessions with location-based exercises
Data Retention Policy
Location data is retained responsibly:
- Active flight location data: Retained for 90 days
- Historical flight paths: 5 years (DGCA compliance)
- Emergency/incident locations: Retained until investigation complete
- Automatically deleted after retention period unless legally required
- User can request immediate deletion (subject to regulatory requirements)
Privacy Protection
Your location privacy is protected through:
- Location data collected only when actively using drone services
- Precise location used only for flight operations, not shared with advertisers
- Location data encrypted both in transit and at rest
- No location tracking for personal/non-business purposes
- Clear in-app indicators when location is being accessed
User Control
You have full control over location permissions:
- Grant or revoke background location access anytime through device settings
- Choose "While Using App" instead of "Always" (some features may be limited)
- View detailed location usage history in app settings
- Receive notifications when background location is being used
- Note: Revoking access may limit safety features and real-time tracking
3. All Files Access Permissions
Last Updated: January 2025
Why We Request File Access
File access is required for essential app functionality:
- Drone Media Management: Save and organize aerial photos and videos captured during operations in your preferred location
- Flight Plan Import/Export: Import flight plans from various sources and export mission data in multiple formats (KML, CSV, JSON)
- Offline Map Storage: Store high-resolution map tiles for offline drone operations in remote areas without internet
- Report Generation: Create and save detailed inspection reports, survey data, and analytical documents
- Backup & Restore: Backup flight logs, app settings, and mission data for data recovery
- Data Synchronization: Sync data with cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox (with your permission)
File Types We Access
Our app works with the following file types for legitimate purposes:
- Image files: .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .webp, .raw - Drone captured photos and maps
- Video files: .mp4, .mov, .avi - Drone recorded videos and footage
- Map files: .kml, .kmz, .geojson - Flight plans and geospatial data
- Data files: .csv, .json, .xml - Survey data, telemetry, and analytics
- Document files: .pdf, .docx - Generated reports and documentation
- Archive files: .zip - Compressed mission packages
What We DO NOT Do
We strictly limit file access to protect your privacy:
- ❌ Access personal photos/videos unrelated to drone operations
- ❌ Read, modify, or delete system files
- ❌ Access documents or files outside designated app folders without explicit permission
- ❌ Share or upload files to third parties without user consent
- ❌ Scan or index your entire file system
- ❌ Access sensitive files like passwords, banking documents, or personal communications
Security Measures
All file operations are secured:
- File operations performed locally on your device by default
- Encrypted file transfer when syncing with cloud storage
- Scoped storage access - only app-specific folders by default
- User confirmation required for accessing files outside app folders
- No automatic file uploads without explicit user action
- Virus/malware scanning on imported files
User Control
You maintain complete control over file access:
- Choose which folders the app can access
- Revoke file access permissions at any time
- View detailed log of all file operations in app settings
- Delete all app data and files anytime
- Export your data before uninstalling
4. Photo & Video Permissions
Last Updated: January 2025
Camera & Media Access Requirements
Our app requires camera and media permissions for:
- Live Camera Feed: Display real-time video feed from drone cameras for flight control and monitoring
- Photo Capture: Take high-resolution aerial photographs during inspection and survey missions
- Video Recording: Record HD/4K video footage for documentation, analysis, and client deliverables
- QR Code Scanning: Scan QR codes for drone pairing, equipment identification, and asset tracking
- Profile Pictures: Allow users to set profile photos for their account (optional)
- AR Features: Augmented reality overlays for flight planning and visualization
How Media is Stored and Used
Media files are handled securely and transparently:
- Stored locally on your device in the app's designated folder by default
- Organized by date, mission, and project for easy retrieval
- Used for generating inspection reports, survey maps, and analytical data
- Processed for AI-powered analysis (defect detection, crop health) only with your permission
- Shared only when you explicitly choose to export, email, or upload
- Thumbnail previews cached for faster browsing
Privacy Protection
We protect your media with strict privacy controls:
- All photos and videos are stored securely on your device with encryption
- Cloud backup is completely optional and requires explicit consent
- Media files are never shared with third parties without your permission
- No automatic uploads to social media or public platforms
- Metadata (EXIF data, GPS coordinates) preserved for professional use
- You can delete all media at any time through app settings
Third-Party Cloud Integration
Optional cloud storage integration:
- Supported Services: Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, AWS S3
- All uploads require your explicit authorization
- Media uploaded according to third-party privacy policies
- You control which files are synced to the cloud
- Automatic sync can be disabled anytime
- End-to-end encryption available for cloud storage
Media Processing
Advanced media processing features:
- AI Analysis: Optional AI-powered image analysis (defect detection, measurements)
- Image Stitching: Create panoramas and orthomosaics from multiple photos
- Video Editing: Basic trimming, compression, and format conversion
- Annotation: Add markers, measurements, and notes to images
- All processing done on-device or with your consent to cloud services
5. Foreground Services Declaration
Last Updated: January 2025
What are Foreground Services?
Foreground services allow the app to continue critical operations even when:
- You switch to other apps or the home screen
- Your screen is locked or turned off
- The device is in low-power or battery-saver mode
- Multiple apps are running simultaneously
- You receive phone calls or notifications
Why We Use Foreground Services
Critical drone operations that require continuous background processing:
- Active Flight Monitoring: Continuously monitor drone status, altitude, speed, and battery level during flights for safety
- Real-time Telemetry: Maintain stable connection with drone for live data streaming and command execution
- Emergency Alerts: Provide immediate notifications for critical events (low battery, signal loss, obstacle detection, etc.)
- GPS Tracking: Track precise drone location for return-to-home, geofencing, and emergency recovery
- Video Recording: Ensure uninterrupted video recording during missions without dropped frames
- Autonomous Flight: Execute pre-programmed flight plans without user interaction
When Services Are Active
Foreground services run only when necessary:
- During active drone flights and missions only
- When you start a flight mission from the app
- While autonomous waypoint missions are executing
- During live video streaming sessions
- Automatically stop when flight ends, app is closed, or emergency landing is triggered
Notification Display
While a foreground service is active, you'll see a persistent notification showing:
- Flight Status: Current flight mode (Manual, Autonomous, Return-to-Home)
- Flight Duration: Elapsed time since takeoff
- Drone Battery: Real-time battery percentage
- Distance: Distance from home point
- Quick Actions: Return to Home, Emergency Land, Open App
- Altitude & Speed: Current flight metrics
Battery Impact
Foreground services are optimized for minimal battery usage:
- Intelligent power management reduces CPU usage when possible
- GPS tracking interval optimized based on flight speed
- Network connection throttled when bandwidth not needed
- Typical battery usage: 3-5% per hour of active flight
- View detailed battery usage in device settings → Battery
- Foreground services automatically end when flight completes
User Control
You have complete control over foreground services:
- End service anytime by landing drone or closing app
- Swipe notification to access quick actions
- Disable notification sound/vibration in app settings
- View service history and usage statistics
- Services cannot run without active flight in progress
6. Advertising ID Declaration
Last Updated: January 2025
Our Advertising ID Policy
We DO NOT collect or use Advertising IDs for any purpose.
- ✅ No collection of advertising identifiers (AAID on Android / IDFA on iOS)
- ✅ No behavioral tracking for advertising purposes
- ✅ No third-party advertising networks integrated in the app
- ✅ No personalized advertising based on your activity
- ✅ No sharing of user data with advertising partners
- ✅ No retargeting or remarketing campaigns
Analytics We DO Collect
While we don't use advertising IDs, we collect anonymized analytics to improve the app:
- Crash Reports: Anonymous crash logs to identify and fix bugs
- Feature Usage: Which features are used most to prioritize development
- Performance Metrics: App load times, responsiveness, memory usage
- Error Tracking: Non-critical errors to improve stability
- Session Data: Anonymous session duration and frequency
Analytics Data Characteristics
Our analytics data is:
- ✓ Completely anonymous and cannot identify individual users
- ✓ Aggregated with data from all users for statistical analysis
- ✓ Not linked to your personal information or account
- ✓ Not shared with advertising networks or third-party marketers
- ✓ Used solely for app improvement and bug fixing
- ✓ Retained for a maximum of 26 months
Third-Party Analytics Tools
We use the following privacy-focused analytics tools:
- Firebase Analytics: With advertising features disabled
- Sentry: For crash reporting and error tracking
- All tools configured with strictest privacy settings
- IP addresses anonymized before collection
- Device identifiers hashed and anonymized
Your Rights and Control
You have full control over analytics:
- Opt out of all analytics in app settings → Privacy
- Opting out does not affect app functionality
- Reset analytics ID anytime to start fresh
- View exactly what analytics data is collected
- Request deletion of all analytics data
7. Government Apps Declaration
Last Updated: January 2025
Official Statement
This app is NOT a government application.
- ❌ HDS India is a private commercial entity providing drone technology services
- ❌ We are not affiliated with any government agency or department
- ❌ This app does not provide official government services
- ❌ We do not represent or act on behalf of any government authority
- ❌ We are not a government contractor or official service provider
Clarification on Government Clients
While we serve government clients as customers, this does not make our app a government application:
- Services are provided on a commercial B2B basis
- Government clients use the same app features as other enterprise clients
- No special government privileges, backdoors, or exclusive access
- Government data is handled with same privacy standards (plus additional security per contracts)
- We maintain independence and commercial relationships
Government Services We Support
We provide commercial drone services to various government departments:
- Defense: Surveillance, border monitoring, training (as per contracts)
- Agriculture: Crop monitoring, precision farming for government farms
- Infrastructure: Railway inspection, road surveys, bridge assessments
- Disaster Management: Flood assessment, rescue support, damage evaluation
- Forest Department: Wildlife monitoring, forest surveys, fire detection
- Police: Event surveillance, crowd management, search & rescue
Regulatory Compliance
Our drone operations comply with all applicable government regulations:
- DGCA: Directorate General of Civil Aviation drone regulations
- Ministry of Civil Aviation: Drone Rules 2021 and amendments
- Digital Sky Platform: All flights logged and approved as required
- NPNT Compliance: No-Permission No-Takeoff compliance
- Local Laws: State and municipal aviation regulations
- Privacy Laws: Information Technology Act, 2000 and data protection laws
Data Handling for Government Clients
Government client data receives enhanced protection:
- Same baseline privacy and security as all clients
- Additional security measures as per contractual obligations
- Classified data handled per government security protocols
- Dedicated servers and isolated infrastructure (for sensitive projects)
- Enhanced encryption and access controls
- Regular security audits and compliance certifications
8. Financial Features Declaration
Last Updated: January 2025
In-App Financial Features
Our app includes the following payment and financial features:
- Service Booking Payments: Pay for drone services (surveys, inspections, surveillance, training)
- Subscription Plans: Monthly/Annual subscriptions for premium features and cloud storage
- Training Program Fees: Payment for drone pilot training and certification courses
- Equipment Rental: Payment for drone equipment rental and accessories
- Add-on Services: Purchase additional analysis, reporting, or data processing services
- Top-up Credits: Buy service credits for pay-as-you-go usage
Supported Payment Methods
We accept the following secure payment methods:
- Credit/Debit Cards: Visa, Mastercard, RuPay (via secure payment gateways)
- UPI: Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, BHIM, and all UPI apps
- Net Banking: All major Indian banks
- Digital Wallets: Paytm, Mobikwik, FreeCharge
- Bank Transfer/NEFT: For enterprise clients and large invoices
- International Cards: Accepted for overseas clients
Payment Security Measures
Your financial information is protected with industry-leading security:
- PCI DSS Compliant: All payment processing meets Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards Level 1
- 256-bit SSL Encryption: All financial data encrypted during transmission
- No Card Storage: We do NOT store credit card details on our servers
- Tokenization: Card details tokenized by payment gateways
- Secure Gateways: Payments processed through trusted providers (Razorpay, Paytm, PayU)
- 3D Secure: Additional authentication for card payments
- Fraud Detection: Real-time fraud monitoring and prevention
Pricing Transparency
Complete transparency in all pricing:
- All prices clearly displayed before purchase
- Detailed breakdown of service charges and fees
- GST (18%) and applicable taxes shown separately
- No hidden fees or surprise charges
- Currency clearly indicated (INR for Indian customers)
- Price lock guarantee - no increase after booking confirmation
- Discount codes and offers clearly applied before payment
Refund & Cancellation Policy
Fair and transparent refund policies:
- Service Cancellations: 100% refund if cancelled 48+ hours before scheduled service, 50% refund if cancelled 24-48 hours, no refund within 24 hours
- Subscription Refunds: Pro-rated refunds for annual subscriptions (within 7 days of purchase)
- Training Programs: Full refund if cancelled before course commencement, partial refund based on completion percentage
- Equipment Rental: Refund minus cancellation fee (10-25%) as per rental agreement
- Technical Issues: Full refund if service not delivered due to our fault
- Refund Processing: Refunds processed within 5-7 business days to original payment method
Billing & Invoices
Professional billing and documentation:
- GST-compliant invoices generated for all transactions
- Invoices available for download immediately after payment
- Email receipts sent automatically
- Detailed itemization of charges
- Monthly statements for enterprise clients
- Invoice history available in app for up to 7 years
Regulatory Compliance
We comply with all applicable financial regulations:
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI): Digital payment guidelines
- Information Technology Act, 2000: Electronic transaction security
- Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007: Payment system regulations
- GST Act: Goods and Services Tax compliance
- Income Tax Act: TDS and financial record-keeping
- Consumer Protection Act: Customer rights and fair practices
9. Health Data Declaration
Last Updated: January 2025
Official Health Data Policy
We DO NOT collect, store, or process any health-related data.
- ✅ No access to health sensors (heart rate, blood pressure, etc.)
- ✅ No integration with health tracking apps (Apple Health, Google Fit, etc.)
- ✅ No collection of medical information or health records
- ✅ No health monitoring or wellness features
- ✅ No fitness tracking or activity monitoring
- ✅ No biometric health data collection
Clarification on Drone Operation Safety
While we emphasize safety in drone operations, we do not collect health data:
- Pilot Fitness: Physical fitness assessments conducted offline by certified trainers, not through the app
- Medical Certificates: Required for pilot licensing by DGCA, handled directly with aviation authorities, not stored in our app
- Safety Briefings: Health and safety information provided as educational content, no health data collected
- Emergency Contacts: Optional emergency contact information (name and phone only), not medical data
- No in-app health screening, monitoring, or assessments of any kind
No Third-Party Health Integrations
We maintain strict separation from health data ecosystems:
- No integration with HealthKit, Google Fit, or any health platforms
- No access to wearable device health data (Apple Watch, Fitbit, etc.)
- No partnerships with healthcare providers or medical apps
- No health insurance integrations
- No COVID-19 tracking or health status verification
Safety Without Health Data
We ensure operational safety through non-health means:
- Training Verification: Certification status tracked, not health status
- Rest Requirements: Flight hour limits for safety, not health monitoring
- Weather Conditions: Environmental safety alerts, not personal health
- Equipment Checks: Drone health monitoring, not pilot health
- Incident Reporting: Safety incident logs, no medical information
Future Commitments
If we ever introduce health-related features in the future, we commit to:
- Obtain explicit, informed user consent before collection
- Comply with all health data protection regulations (HIPAA-equivalent)
- Update this policy with detailed, specific information
- Implement stringent security measures exceeding standard protections
- Provide clear opt-out mechanisms
- Never share health data with third parties without consent
- Notify all users prominently before any changes
10. App Access & Functionality Restrictions
Last Updated: January 2025
Access Levels Overview
Our app has different access levels based on user account type and subscription:
- Guest/Free Users: Limited access for browsing and exploration
- Registered Users: Basic service access with usage limits
- Premium Subscribers: Full feature access with priority support
- Enterprise Clients: Advanced features, API access, and dedicated support
1. Guest/Free Users
Features available without registration or payment:
- ✓ Browse services, pricing, and company information
- ✓ View portfolio of completed projects and case studies
- ✓ Read blog articles and educational content
- ✓ Access basic contact information
- ✓ View sample reports and demos
- ✓ Download company brochures
- ✗ Cannot book drone services or request quotes
- ✗ Cannot access flight planning tools
- ✗ Cannot view detailed analytics or reports
- ✗ Cannot save or export data
- ✗ No customer support access
2. Registered Users (Free Tier)
Additional features with free registration:
- ✓ All guest features included
- ✓ Request service quotes (up to 3 per month)
- ✓ Basic flight plan creation (limited to 5 waypoints)
- ✓ View service request history
- ✓ Save up to 3 projects
- ✓ Basic email support (48-hour response time)
- ✓ Receive newsletter and updates
- ✗ Cannot book services directly (must request quote first)
- ✗ Limited to 3 service requests per month
- ✗ Cannot access advanced analytics or AI features
- ✗ No offline map access
- ✗ Cannot export high-resolution data
3. Premium Subscribers
Premium subscription ($49/month or $490/year) unlocks:
- ✓ All registered user features
- ✓ Unlimited service bookings
- ✓ Advanced flight planning (unlimited waypoints, autonomous missions)
- ✓ Priority customer support (4-hour response time)
- ✓ Detailed analytics dashboard and reports
- ✓ Offline map access (download up to 50 regions)
- ✓ AI-powered analysis tools (defect detection, crop health)
- ✓ 100GB cloud storage for media and data
- ✓ Export data in all formats (PDF, KML, GeoJSON, CSV)
- ✓ Live flight tracking for up to 5 drones
- ✓ Historical data access (5 years)
- ✓ Early access to new features
- ✓ 10% discount on all service bookings
4. Enterprise Clients
Enterprise subscription (Custom pricing) provides:
- ✓ All premium features
- ✓ Multi-user account management (up to 50 users)
- ✓ Custom integration via REST API
- ✓ Dedicated account manager
- ✓ Custom SLA (1-hour critical support response)
- ✓ Priority service scheduling
- ✓ White-label reporting and branding
- ✓ Unlimited cloud storage
- ✓ Advanced analytics and custom dashboards
- ✓ Team collaboration features
- ✓ Single Sign-On (SSO) integration
- ✓ Custom training programs for staff
- ✓ 20% discount on all service bookings
- ✓ Quarterly business reviews
Feature-Specific Restrictions
Certain features require specific permissions or qualifications:
- Real-time Flight Control: Requires valid drone pilot license (DGCA RPAS certificate)
- Autonomous Flight: Requires premium subscription + verified pilot license + insurance
- Live Video Streaming: Requires stable internet (minimum 5 Mbps upload speed)
- AI Analysis Features: Premium or Enterprise subscription only
- Cloud Storage: 1GB free for all users, additional storage requires subscription
- Data Export: Limited formats (PDF, JPEG) for free users, all formats for premium
- API Access: Enterprise clients only
- Bulk Operations: Premium+ for processing large datasets
Geographic Restrictions
Some features have location-based limitations:
- India: Full service availability nationwide
- No-Fly Zones: Automatically enforced based on DGCA regulations (airports, military zones, etc.)
- State Restrictions: Some states may have additional local regulations
- International: Currently not available outside India
- Real-time Features: Available only in areas with cellular coverage
- Weather Data: High-resolution weather available in major cities, lower resolution in remote areas
Upgrade Information
Upgrading your account:
- Upgrade from any tier to Premium or Enterprise at any time
- Upgrades take effect immediately upon payment confirmation
- Pro-rated billing if upgrading mid-billing cycle
- Downgrade at end of billing period (no mid-period downgrades)
- All data and projects preserved during upgrades
- Free 14-day trial available for Premium (no credit card required)
- Enterprise quotes provided within 24 hours of inquiry
- Educational discounts available for students and institutions (25% off)
Important Information
These policies are regularly reviewed and updated to ensure compliance with current regulations, industry best practices, and app store requirements. Any significant changes will be communicated to users via email and in-app notifications at least 30 days before they take effect.
Compliant with Google Play & App Store policies
GDPR & Indian data protection compliant
Transparent data collection practices
User control over all permissions