diff --git a/fiftyone/core/cli.py b/fiftyone/core/cli.py
index 85912a875c1..5a7aa889bcc 100644
--- a/fiftyone/core/cli.py
+++ b/fiftyone/core/cli.py
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@
 """
 
 import argparse
-import warnings
 from collections import defaultdict
 from datetime import datetime
 import json
@@ -19,8 +18,6 @@
 
 import argcomplete
 from bson import ObjectId
-import humanize
-import pytz
 from tabulate import tabulate
 import webbrowser
 
diff --git a/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation.py b/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation.py
index 3355792c97a..ac2a9c20c18 100644
--- a/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation.py
+++ b/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 from pymongo import IndexModel
 from pymongo.collection import Collection
 
+from fiftyone.internal.util import is_remote_service
 from fiftyone.factory import DelegatedOperationPagingParams
 from fiftyone.factory.repos import DelegatedOperationDocument
 from fiftyone.operators.executor import (
@@ -134,7 +135,7 @@ def __init__(self, collection: Collection = None):
         self._collection = (
             collection if collection is not None else self._get_collection()
         )
-
+        self.is_remote = is_remote_service()
         self._create_indexes()
 
     def _get_collection(self) -> Collection:
@@ -170,7 +171,7 @@ def _create_indexes(self):
             self._collection.create_indexes(indices_to_create)
 
     def queue_operation(self, **kwargs: Any) -> DelegatedOperationDocument:
-        op = DelegatedOperationDocument()
+        op = DelegatedOperationDocument(is_remote=self.is_remote)
         for prop in self.required_props:
             if prop not in kwargs:
                 raise ValueError("Missing required property '%s'" % prop)
diff --git a/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation_doc.py b/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation_doc.py
index 150b8a05dec..1360783ad3b 100644
--- a/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation_doc.py
+++ b/fiftyone/factory/repos/delegated_operation_doc.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ def __init__(
         operator: str = None,
         delegation_target: str = None,
         context: dict = None,
+        is_remote: bool = False,
     ):
         self.operator = operator
         self.label = None
@@ -35,10 +36,12 @@ def __init__(
             else context
         )
         self.run_state = (
-            ExecutionRunState.QUEUED
-        )  # default to queued state on create
+            ExecutionRunState.SCHEDULED
+            if is_remote
+            else ExecutionRunState.QUEUED
+        )  # if running locally use QUEUED otherwise SCHEDULED
         self.run_link = None
-        self.queued_at = datetime.utcnow()
+        self.queued_at = datetime.utcnow() if not is_remote else None
         self.updated_at = datetime.utcnow()
         self.status = None
         self.dataset_id = None
@@ -46,7 +49,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.pinned = False
         self.completed_at = None
         self.failed_at = None
-        self.scheduled_at = None
+        self.scheduled_at = datetime.utcnow() if is_remote else None
         self.result = None
         self.id = None
         self._doc = None
diff --git a/fiftyone/internal/__init__.py b/fiftyone/internal/__init__.py
index 948c11f1b2b..8d5a4915b3b 100644
--- a/fiftyone/internal/__init__.py
+++ b/fiftyone/internal/__init__.py
@@ -7,3 +7,4 @@
 """
 
 from .secrets import *
+from .util import is_remote_service
diff --git a/fiftyone/internal/util.py b/fiftyone/internal/util.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bfde1b3db66
--- /dev/null
+++ b/fiftyone/internal/util.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+"""
+FiftyOne internal utilities.
+
+| Copyright 2017-2024, Voxel51, Inc.
+| `voxel51.com <https://voxel51.com/>`_
+|
+"""
+
+
+def is_remote_service():
+    """Whether the SDK is running in a remote service context.
+
+    Returns:
+        True/False
+    """
+    return has_encryption_key() and has_api_key()
+
+
+def has_encryption_key():
+    """Whether the current environment has an encryption key.
+
+    Returns:
+        True/False
+    """
+    return False
+
+
+def has_api_key():
+    """Whether the current environment has an API key.
+
+    Returns:
+        True/False
+    """
+    return False
diff --git a/tests/unittests/operators/delegated_tests.py b/tests/unittests/operators/delegated_tests.py
index ef48c78ee96..4939124942a 100644
--- a/tests/unittests/operators/delegated_tests.py
+++ b/tests/unittests/operators/delegated_tests.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
     ExecutionResult,
     ExecutionRunState,
 )
+from fiftyone.factory.repos import delegated_operation
 from fiftyone.operators.operator import Operator, OperatorConfig
 
 
@@ -1333,3 +1334,25 @@ async def test_set_completed_in_async_context(
 
         doc = self.svc.set_completed(doc_id=doc.id)
         self.assertEqual(doc.run_state, ExecutionRunState.COMPLETED)
+
+    @patch.object(
+        delegated_operation,
+        "is_remote_service",
+        return_value=True,
+    )
+    def test_queue_op_remote_service(
+        self, mock_is_remote_service, mock_get_operator, mock_operator_exists
+    ):
+        db = delegated_operation.MongoDelegatedOperationRepo()
+        dos = DelegatedOperationService(repo=db)
+        ctx = ExecutionContext()
+        ctx.request_params = {"foo": "bar"}
+        doc = dos.queue_operation(
+            operator="@voxelfiftyone/operator/foo",
+            label=mock_get_operator.return_value.name,
+            delegation_target="test_target",
+            context=ctx.serialize(),
+        )
+        self.docs_to_delete.append(doc)
+        self.assertTrue(db.is_remote)
+        self.assertEqual(doc.run_state, ExecutionRunState.SCHEDULED)