Case Study — Aviation / AI
Unified AI-Powered Drone Operations Platform
Designing the operator interface across 5 platforms and 30+ managed units —
where a confusing screen isn't just annoying, it's dangerous.
ROLE
Lead Product Designer (Sole)
Company
Intuitive Robotics · AU
Timeline
Sep 2020 – Oct 2025
Platforms
Web · Mobile · Dashboard
Outcome
Microsoft Azure & NVIDIA
As Design Lead at Intuitive Robotics, a B2B robotics startup focused on drone operations and AI-powered platforms, I was responsible for defining and leading end-to-end product design across web, mobile, and real-time systems — spanning product strategy, UX/UI design, design systems, and cross-functional collaboration with engineering, leadership, and business stakeholders.
To address the lack of a unified enterprise solution in the market, I led the design of a centralized SaaS platform bringing together drone management, mission planning, telemetry monitoring, device lifecycle management, and real-time video streaming into a single, coherent experience — simplifying complex, high-stakes workflows for pilots and enterprise teams.
As the sole designer for 5 years, I owned the full design lifecycle — research, problem definition, high-fidelity prototyping, design systems, and investor presentations — working directly with engineering, product, and leadership across a fully remote, international team. Over that time, the scope grew to more than 100 individual screens and layouts across the ecosystem. The product was successfully funded and launched in the U.S. market, supporting complex drone operations for global users.
01
Overview
I designed the entire operator interface without physical access to the drone or its controller — every interaction had to be validated and refined remotely, without hands-on testing on the real hardware.
As the sole designer, the workload extended well beyond UI: I also owned marketing design, UX writing, pitch deck design, and investor presentation materials — all while designing across 5 platforms in parallel.
******
Constraints
The market had no unified enterprise solution. Pilots and enterprise teams were juggling 4–6 disconnected tools for mission planning, video streaming, and fleet status — while operators managing 30+ autonomous units at once had no reliable way to prioritize critical, safety-relevant information under pressure.
02
The Challenge
Rather than starting from assumptions, I ran continuous market research across the drone industry — reviewing competitor apps firsthand, reading through user reviews and community forums, and tracking recurring complaints from flight-app comments to social media discussions.
I researched emerging trends in AI, robotics, and drone operations through competitive analysis, user reviews on Google Play and the App Store, and observations from early user testing — to anticipate both user expectations and technical constraints.
I paired this with ongoing tracking of industry news, sharing findings with stakeholders regularly. Working closely with the marketing team, we held weekly meetings to shape the product roadmap and market strategy around what operators actually needed — not just what competitors already offered.
03
Research & Discovery
Managing that unification meant designing and connecting well over 100 individual screens across registration, admin, licensing, flight operations, device management, and mission control — mapped and prototyped as one continuous system rather than five separate ones.
04
Process & Key Decisions
The final system spans a web dashboard, admin panel, and two mobile apps — unified by one visual and interaction language, built around three core capabilities:
Solution 01
AI-Driven Mission Automation
Streamlined mission setup, letting users schedule, prioritize, and manage daily drone operations effortlessly.
Solution 02
Real-Time Transfer Flows
Progress indicators, error handling, and system feedback built in for reliability.
Solution 03
Unified Dashboard
Consolidated multiple apps into a single, unified dashboard to reduce cognitive load.
Solution 04
Live Telemetry Pipeline
Supporting real-time decision-making in high-risk field operations.
05
The Solution
Alongside the product work, I built the visual identity tying all 5 platforms together — logo, color system, and iconography — so the product feels like one trustworthy system, not five separate tools stitched together.
I also designed the marketing illustrations and exhibition visuals showcased at the Airworks Conference in Las Vegas, USA — October 10–12, 2022.
Custom illustrations and character designs used across onboarding, empty states, and marketing touchpoints:
06
Brand Identity & Marketing
5
Platforms shipped, solo
100+
Screens & layouts designed
2
Partnerships won — Microsoft, NVIDIA
30+
Units on one operator screen
07
Outcome
08
Looking Back
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