Digital airborne photogrammetric imaging systems are operational and already have substituted the analogue mapping cameras in many countries and applications. The high potential of digital airborne imaging was already evaluated through several empirical tests. Compared to the former analogue mapping cameras, which all provide standard analogue images using one single optic only, the new digital airborne cameras follow very different sensor designs and processing concepts, which requests for flexible and system driven calibration and certification approaches. In situ calibrations obtained from well defined test ranges will play an important role in future system validation and certifications, still guidelines for optimal test site layout and evaluation concepts are almost missing. This motivates the European Spatial Data Organization (EuroSDR) to compile several projects first looking on the more technical aspects of radiometric and geometric digital airborne sensor system performance. From that optimal and operational in situ test site layouts and corresponding evaluation processes are derived, whose first concepts are presented in this paper. Both geometry and radiometric aspects are covered. This also is linked to other certification approaches like the US Geological Survey Digital Camera Quality Assurance Plan and to new national and international standards.