diff --git a/routes/drone.py b/routes/drone.py
index 43c41bf..8303738 100644
--- a/routes/drone.py
+++ b/routes/drone.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import logging
+import queue
 import threading
 
 from flask import Blueprint, Response, jsonify, request
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ from utils.drone.correlator import DroneCorrelator
 from utils.drone.remote_id import RemoteIDScanner
 from utils.drone.rf_detector import RFDetector
 from utils.sse import sse_stream_fanout
+from utils.validation import validate_device_index
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("intercept.drone")
 
@@ -21,18 +23,37 @@ drone_bp = Blueprint("drone", __name__, url_prefix="/drone")
 _correlator: DroneCorrelator | None = None
 _remote_id_scanner: RemoteIDScanner | None = None
 _rf_detector: RFDetector | None = None
+_obs_queue: queue.Queue | None = None  # raw observations from scanners/detectors
+_relay_thread: threading.Thread | None = None
 _drone_running = False
 _drone_lock = threading.Lock()
 
+_SENTINEL = object()
+
+
+def _relay_observations() -> None:
+    """Read raw observations from _obs_queue and feed them into the correlator."""
+    while True:
+        obs = _obs_queue.get()
+        if obs is _SENTINEL:
+            break
+        if _correlator is not None:
+            _correlator.process(obs)
+
 
 def _ensure_workers() -> None:
-    global _correlator, _remote_id_scanner, _rf_detector
+    global _correlator, _remote_id_scanner, _rf_detector, _obs_queue, _relay_thread
+    if _obs_queue is None:
+        _obs_queue = queue.Queue(maxsize=512)
     if _correlator is None:
         _correlator = DroneCorrelator(output_queue=app_module.drone_queue)
     if _remote_id_scanner is None:
-        _remote_id_scanner = RemoteIDScanner(output_queue=app_module.drone_queue)
+        _remote_id_scanner = RemoteIDScanner(output_queue=_obs_queue)
     if _rf_detector is None:
-        _rf_detector = RFDetector(output_queue=app_module.drone_queue)
+        _rf_detector = RFDetector(output_queue=_obs_queue)
+    if _relay_thread is None or not _relay_thread.is_alive():
+        _relay_thread = threading.Thread(target=_relay_observations, daemon=True)
+        _relay_thread.start()
 
 
 @drone_bp.route("/status")
@@ -61,12 +82,16 @@ def contacts():
 @drone_bp.route("/start", methods=["POST"])
 def start():
     global _drone_running
-    _ensure_workers()
-    wifi_iface = request.json.get("wifi_iface") if request.json else None
-    rtl_index = int((request.json or {}).get("rtl_sdr_index", 0))
-    use_hackrf = bool((request.json or {}).get("use_hackrf", True))
+    body = request.json or {}
+    wifi_iface = body.get("wifi_iface") or None
+    try:
+        rtl_index = validate_device_index(body.get("rtl_sdr_index", 0))
+    except ValueError as exc:
+        return jsonify({"error": str(exc)}), 400
+    use_hackrf = bool(body.get("use_hackrf", True))
 
     with _drone_lock:
+        _ensure_workers()
         if not _drone_running:
             if _remote_id_scanner:
                 _remote_id_scanner.start(wifi_iface=wifi_iface)
@@ -86,6 +111,8 @@ def stop():
             _remote_id_scanner.stop()
         if _rf_detector:
             _rf_detector.stop()
+        if _obs_queue is not None:
+            _obs_queue.put_nowait(_SENTINEL)
         _drone_running = False
     logger.info("Drone detection stopped")
     return jsonify({"status": "ok", "running": False})
diff --git a/static/css/modes/drone.css b/static/css/modes/drone.css
index 6453a92..1e57e71 100644
--- a/static/css/modes/drone.css
+++ b/static/css/modes/drone.css
@@ -69,6 +69,18 @@
     color: var(--accent-red);
 }
 
+.drone-map {
+    height: 280px;
+    border-radius: 4px;
+    border: 1px solid var(--border-color);
+    margin: 0 12px 12px;
+}
+
 .drone-marker-high-risk {
     animation: dsc-distress-pulse 1.5s infinite;
 }
+
+@keyframes dsc-distress-pulse {
+    0%, 100% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); }
+    50% { opacity: 0.4; transform: scale(1.4); }
+}
diff --git a/static/js/modes/drone.js b/static/js/modes/drone.js
index 55af9d8..d7b7777 100644
--- a/static/js/modes/drone.js
+++ b/static/js/modes/drone.js
@@ -10,10 +10,22 @@
     function init() {
         document.getElementById('droneStartBtn')?.addEventListener('click', _start);
         document.getElementById('droneStopBtn')?.addEventListener('click', _stop);
+        _initMap();
         _connectSSE();
         _refreshStatus();
     }
 
+    function _initMap() {
+        if (_map) return;
+        const mapEl = document.getElementById('droneMap');
+        if (!mapEl || typeof L === 'undefined') return;
+        _map = L.map('droneMap', { zoomControl: true }).setView([20, 0], 2);
+        L.tileLayer('https://{s}.tile.openstreetmap.org/{z}/{x}/{y}.png', {
+            attribution: '© OpenStreetMap',
+            maxZoom: 18,
+        }).addTo(_map);
+    }
+
     function destroy() {
         _disconnectSSE();
         if (_map) {
@@ -34,6 +46,8 @@
             } catch (_) {}
         });
         _sse.onerror = function () {
+            _sse.close();
+            _sse = null;
             setTimeout(_connectSSE, 3000);
         };
     }
diff --git a/templates/partials/modes/drone.html b/templates/partials/modes/drone.html
index e63a860..c39babf 100644
--- a/templates/partials/modes/drone.html
+++ b/templates/partials/modes/drone.html
@@ -39,4 +39,11 @@
             Non-compliant: <span id="droneNonCompliantCount" style="color:var(--accent-red);">0</span>
         </p>
     </div>
+
+    <div class="section">
+        <h3>Detected Contacts</h3>
+        <div id="droneContactList"></div>
+    </div>
+
+    <div id="droneMap" class="drone-map"></div>
 </div>
diff --git a/utils/drone/remote_id.py b/utils/drone/remote_id.py
index a4143db..778e0de 100644
--- a/utils/drone/remote_id.py
+++ b/utils/drone/remote_id.py
@@ -98,6 +98,8 @@ class RemoteIDScanner:
             elt = elt.payload if hasattr(elt, "payload") and isinstance(elt.payload, Dot11Elt) else None
 
     def start(self, wifi_iface: str | None = None) -> None:
+        if self._running:
+            return
         self._running = True
         if SCAPY_AVAILABLE and wifi_iface:
             try: