First Arriving Dashboards vs SurfaceOps by uAvionix
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
First Arriving Dashboards
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First Arriving Dashboards is an innovative dashboard solution that revolutionizes how first responders and agencies manage internal communications, information sharing, and emergency response operations to enhance overall community safety. Key Benefits & Features of Dashboard App: Customizable Dashboards & Data You Need: Showcase your key existing technology including Scheduling, LMS, RMS, Fleet management, equipment maintenance, and more. Dashboards are tailored to display specific metrics and KPIs relevant to your agency's operations and objectives. Customize visuals and layouts to optimize data visibility and accessibility for different users and scenarios. Utilize powerful analytics tools to analyze turnout and response times, and other key performance metrics for informed decision-making. Add-ons including document downloads, links to key platforms, required acknowledgements and more. Enhanced Situational Awareness: Visualize critical information and key data points to better understand the scope and dynamics of emergency situations. Coordinate response efforts more effectively with clear, real-time insights and situational updates. Multi-platform Accessibility: With the app, you can access all of your dashboard content seamlessly across various devices for enhanced communication and collaboration. Enable field personnel, command center staff, and other stakeholders to stay connected and informed during emergency operations. Resource Optimization: Allocate resources efficiently based on real-time data and insights to maximize operational efficiency and effectiveness. Ensure timely and strategic deployment of assets, personnel, and equipment for optimal emergency response outcomes. News, Announcements, Internal & Interagency Communication: Receive and send instant updates and notifications to effectively manage and respond to unfolding events. Push real-time messages to every team member. Anytime, anywhere. Foster interagency collaboration and communication by sharing real-time data, updates, and situational awareness information. Coordinate efforts with external agencies, mutual aid partners, and community stakeholders for seamless emergency response operations. Performance Tracking: Monitor and evaluate key performance indicators to assess operational efficiency, effectiveness, and areas for improvement. Track response times, incident outcomes, and other metrics to drive continuous performance enhancements and accountability. Informed Decision Making: Equip public safety professionals with the data, insights, and tools needed to make informed, timely decisions in high-pressure situations. Empower decision-makers to respond confidently, adaptively, and strategically to emergencies, crises, and evolving threats. First Arriving Dashboards for Public Safety is a comprehensive and user-friendly solution that empowers public safety agencies to enhance situational awareness, optimize emergency response operations, and ultimately improve community safety. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, real-time data analytics, and customizable features, this app is designed to support and elevate the critical work of first responders and emergency management professionals. Elevate your agency's capabilities, efficiency, and effectiveness with First Arriving Dashboards for Public Safety. Contact your agency’s First Arriving Dashboard administrator for access to the First Arriving Mobile app.
SurfaceOps by uAvionix
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Surface Ops is a free situational-awareness tool for anyone interested in airport surface operations — pilots, students, ramp staff, plane spotters, and the general public — with optional licensed features for professional airport ground-operations teams. Free for everyone, at every US airport: • Airport diagrams (runways, taxiways, aprons, hotspots) • GPS-based ownship position on the airport surface • METAR, TAF, and D-ATIS weather • Live ADS-B traffic from a uAvionix skyAlert receiver (a separately-purchased consumer accessory) • Runway-incursion alerts: CHECK RUNWAY, TRAFFIC RUNWAY, CHECK FINAL, TRAFFIC FINAL and Aircraft Emergency Alerts • Visual highlighting of the runway under alert • Offline operation once an airport diagram is cached (weather requires internet) Optional licensed feature, at participating airports: Airports that contract with uAvionix for the professional toolset can issue a one-time activation code to their authorized vehicle operators, which adds the FlightLine ADS-B network traffic feed from the airport's ground-based receivers, no per-vehicle hardware required. No in-app purchase. The app and all consumer-facing features are free. Licensed airports pay uAvionix directly; the end-user operator never pays anything inside the app. What Surface Ops is NOT: • Not a certified safety system • Not a substitute for ATC instructions or established ground-movement procedures • Not a primary means of collision avoidance — visual scanning and radio communication remain primary Privacy Surface Ops collects only what's needed to operate: your activation code, a per-device licensing identifier, and—with your permission—your GPS location to display your position on the airport map. Location data stays on the device; we do not transmit it to our servers. No analytics, no advertising SDKs, no tracking. Terms Use of this app is subject to the Apple Standard End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeveula/ Published by CAVU Consulting LLC on behalf of uAvionix Corporation.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: SurfaceOps by uAvionix at every 2 weeks against First Arriving Dashboards's every 5 months. SurfaceOps by uAvionix also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
First Arriving Dashboards ships an update every 5 months, SurfaceOps by uAvionix every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | First Arriving Dashboards | SurfaceOps by uAvionix |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.5 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 14 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | First Arriving IO, Inc | CAVU Consulting LLC |
In-app purchases
First Arriving Dashboards
No in-app purchases
SurfaceOps by uAvionix
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is First Arriving Dashboards free?
Is SurfaceOps by uAvionix free?
Do First Arriving Dashboards or SurfaceOps by uAvionix have ads?
Which is updated more often, First Arriving Dashboards or SurfaceOps by uAvionix?
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