Overview#
An air support unit scrambles to assist a foot pursuit in progress. The pilot needs to know which aircraft is available, whether the assigned observer has current night vision qualification, whether the forward-looking infrared camera on that aircraft has been serviced since its last operational use, and how much flight time the duty crew has already logged. Making a wrong call on any of those questions can ground an asset mid-mission or create a compliance issue that surfaces in an FAA audit months later.
Argus Aviation Unit Operations provides comprehensive management for law enforcement and public safety aviation units, replacing scattered spreadsheets, paper logbooks, and separate scheduling systems with a unified operational picture. The platform coordinates aircraft, crews, maintenance schedules, and regulatory compliance so aviation assets are ready when calls come in.
Open Standards#
- ICAO Annex 10 / ADS-B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast): Aircraft are tracked using ICAO 24-bit transponder addresses, squawk codes, and ADS-B position reports (barometric and geometric altitude, ground speed, true track, vertical rate) ingested from ADS-B Exchange and OpenSky Network feeds.
- ICAO Aircraft Registration and Identification Codes: The canonical aircraft identifier throughout the platform is the ICAO 24-bit hex address; airport and airline lookups use both ICAO 4-letter and IATA 3-letter codes in accordance with ICAO Doc 9303 and IATA standards.
- Cursor on Target (CoT): A dedicated CoT broker domain routes CoT XML messages between airborne observers and ground units, providing real-time situational awareness on TAK/ATAK/WinTAK displays for coordinated aviation and ground operations.
- EUROCONTROL ASTERIX (All-Purpose Structured Eurocontrol Surveillance Information Exchange): Position reports ingested from surveillance feeds are source-coded to distinguish ADS-B (source 0), ASTERIX (source 1), and MLAT (source 2), enabling interoperability with radar surveillance infrastructure.
- OGC Simple Features / ISO 19125 (Well-Known Text): Aviation geofence zones are defined as WKT POLYGON geometries and stored in PostGIS using
ST_GeomFromText, enabling standard spatial containment queries for restricted-airspace alerting. - WGS 84 (EPSG:4326): All aircraft positions, geofence geometries, and airport coordinates are referenced to the World Geodetic System 1984 datum, consistent with international aviation and mapping practice.
- GraphQL (June 2018 Specification): All aviation data, aircraft registry, flight positions, geofences, and mission records, is exposed through a typed GraphQL API with authenticated queries and mutations, enabling structured integration with CAD, dispatch, and command-post systems.
Last Reviewed: 2026-02-05 Last Updated: 2026-04-14
Key Features#
Aircraft Fleet Management#
Track all aircraft in your fleet with detailed specifications, equipment configurations, maintenance status, and availability. A real-time dashboard shows which aircraft are mission-ready, in maintenance, or reserved for specific operations. Equipment configuration records are current at all times, so operators know exactly what capability is on board each aircraft.
Crew Scheduling and Certification#
Manage pilot certifications, flight currency requirements, medical certifications, and duty time tracking. Automated alerts for expiring certifications ensure no pilot flies without current qualifications. Crew scheduling considers duty time limitations, currency requirements, and aircraft type ratings. The system prevents assignment of crews who cannot legally or safely fly the requested mission.
Maintenance Tracking#
FAA-compliant maintenance tracking with scheduled inspection alerts, airworthiness directive monitoring, and service bulletin tracking. Complete maintenance history for each aircraft with work order management and parts inventory integration. No aircraft flies with an outstanding airworthiness issue when the maintenance system is current.
Mission Management#
Plan, dispatch, and document aviation missions including emergency response, aerial surveillance, search and rescue, and dignitary transport. Mission logs capture flight times, fuel consumption, crew assignments, and operational outcomes. TAK integration connects airborne observers with ground units and command post displays in real time, supporting coordinated operations.
Flight Operations#
Flight planning tools with weather integration, fuel calculations, and weight and balance computation. Pre-flight and post-flight checklist automation ensures consistent safety procedures across all crews. Flight hour tracking feeds directly into maintenance scheduling and budget reporting, removing manual data transfer.
Regulatory Compliance#
Automated compliance tracking across pilot certifications, aircraft inspections, and maintenance documentation. Generate reports for FAA audits, accreditation requirements, and agency management reviews. Compliance status is visible at all times, not just when an audit is approaching.
Use Cases#
- Emergency Response: Instantly identify available aircraft and qualified crews when emergency calls require air support, with automated dispatch notifications and mission tracking.
- Routine Patrol Operations: Schedule aerial patrol missions with route planning, crew rotation, and equipment configuration for different mission profiles.
- Search and Rescue: Coordinate multi-aircraft search patterns with ground teams, tracking search areas covered and mission progress in real time.
- Fleet Planning: Analyse fleet utilisation, maintenance costs, and mission demand to optimise aircraft acquisition and retirement decisions.
Integration#
Connects with CAD and dispatch systems for automated mission tasking, weather services for flight planning, and financial systems for cost tracking and budget reporting. TAK ecosystem integration provides real-time aircraft position awareness for ground commanders. Supports integration with ADS-B tracking for real-time aircraft position monitoring.