Swiss Drone Network Enhances Safety and Industry

Switzerland is set to embark on its second nationwide Nokia Drone Networks project, following the successful deployment in Belgium by Citymesh. This initiative aims to bolster the country's public safety and Industry 4.0 efforts, showcasing Nokia's expertise in modernizing digital infrastructure projects. The project will leverage mission-critical industrial edge computing (MXIE) and 3GPP technologies to enable beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) autonomous drone operations.

One of the key benefits of this drone network is the enhancement of first responders' safety and efficiency. By remotely operating drones to gather crucial information in the immediate aftermath of emergencies, responders can gain valuable situational awareness within minutes, potentially saving lives and optimizing resource allocation.

Public safety agencies in Switzerland will have easy access to the nationwide drone network through a simple request system managed by Swisscom Broadcast, akin to a ride-sharing service. Nokia and Swisscom will provide a comprehensive service portfolio encompassing expertise, compliance, and data analysis to support the effective utilization of the collected information.

The deployment of the drone network is expected to cover all regions of Switzerland, with ongoing collaboration between Nokia, Swisscom, and regulatory bodies to ensure compliance with relevant frameworks, particularly in terms of spectrum management and aviation safety.

Furthermore, the use of drones will significantly enhance worker safety in Swiss industries, particularly in tasks such as infrastructure inspection. By leveraging the Nokia MXIE platform architecture, the drone networks can facilitate the integration of various applications for industrial customers with edge computing requirements, such as asset detection and 3D mapping.

To enable scalable Drone-as-a-Service operations, Nokia Drone Networks will offer a comprehensive solution comprising drones, docking stations, ground control stations, specialized payloads, software, and service components. The platform will also support seamless integration with third-party systems for traffic monitoring, video management, and industrial inspection.

This collaboration between Nokia and Swisscom Broadcast is poised to drive innovation in industrial automation, BVLOS operations, and the adoption of 3GPP technologies for drone applications in Switzerland. Dominik Müller, CEO of Swisscom Broadcast, emphasized the importance of combining expertise and cutting-edge technology to support large-scale projects in the industrial and public safety sectors.

For more information, visit www.nokia.com.