IT Forensics · Drones

Forensically reconstructing flight history in companion apps – Forensically analysing long-term usage history

Companion apps often provide an overview of all flights carried out with a particular drone that goes beyond the individual drone itself, including key details such as the date, duration and distance travelled.

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This long-term flight history can be of value in a forensic context for demonstrating a recurring pattern of use or for placing an individual flight within a broader chronological context.

Why LanCologne?

Since its foundation, LanCologne has specialised in professional IT forensics. Our staff have decades of experience in the field of information technology and assist companies, solicitors, private individuals and, on a regular basis, the courts in the technical investigation of complex digital matters.

The examination is, as a matter of principle, carried out exclusively on a forensic copy, a forensic image or a data source captured in a technically equivalent manner that preserves the integrity of the evidence. The original evidence remains unchanged and is stored in a manner that preserves its integrity.

Our services

We reconstruct the flight history stored in a companion app and analyse it for recurring patterns and to determine the timing of individual relevant flights.

Typical areas of application

Reconstruction of a user’s entire flight history
Evidence of recurring usage patterns
Placing a single flight within the broader context
Investigation into systematic, unauthorised use
Judicial and non-judicial expert reports
Proving unauthorised drone use through forensic evidence

This is how a flight history analysis works

Once the Companion App data has been backed up, the complete flight history stored there is extracted and organised chronologically. Any notable patterns or clusters are identified separately and assessed within the context of the investigation.

Why is flight history analysis relevant in a forensic context?

A recurring flight pattern over a prolonged period may indicate systematic, potentially unauthorised use that goes beyond an isolated, one-off incident.

Placing an individual flight within the context of its overall usage history can also help to better assess how unusual or plausible it is.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far back does a stored flight history go?+
This depends on the app in question, its storage capacity and whether older entries are automatically deleted.
Can the flight history include multiple drones belonging to the same user?+
Yes, provided that the same account has been used on several devices, the app can maintain a consolidated history.
Are deleted flight history entries also taken into account?+
Where technically feasible, references to deleted entries will also be included in the assessment.

LanCologne – IT Forensics Drones Cologne

Do you require a professional forensic investigation into „forensically reconstructing flight history in companion apps"? LanCologne can assist you with the court-admissible preservation of digital evidence and the transparent analysis of relevant drone artefacts.

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