The LayerDrone Protocol

The LayerDrone protocol is designed to produce the largest, most detailed, and most collectively up-to-date earth imagery in the world. It uses a system of incentives to collect base imagery around the world, which anyone can purchase and resell.

The most fundamental functioning of the LayerDrone Network is the commissioning of pilots to capture data using drones powered by the LayerDrone Protocol, rewarding them in tokens, and enabling pilots to use the tokens to, among other things, reserve future missions and acquire additional imagery. The LayerDrone Foundation intends to initially use a portion of the total supply of tokens to subsidize the capture of imagery in select locations at variable frequencies, but over time, it may increasingly rely on external bounties to fund and requisition image capture on demand.

Smooth growth of this complex network relies on coordinating several challenges simultaneously. First, the network must technically ensure that off-the-shelf drones can capture imagery quickly and safely. At inception, the network supported DJI Mini drones and the LayerDrone Foundation is exploring ways to expand to other compliant drones. Second, the network must also grow in an economically sustainable way until it is large enough to self-regulate. This means expanding thoughtfully, in areas where aerial imagery is in-demand, and compensating pilots sufficiently to motivate capture. Finally, the network must comply with applicable regulations as it expands into new regions and issues new missions. Airspace and drone use is heavily regulated, with laws varying by state and country, and it is imperative that any network with ambitions to longevity respect these laws. For example, almost universally, drones are restricted from flying within close proximity to the runways of active airports for numerous reasons, particularly for avoiding collisions with manned aircraft, so the network will not issue missions in proximity to those take off and landing areas.

Managing this complexity is the core task of the LayerDrone Protocol - the set of rules for the network, the technology behind it, and institutions that govern it.