Swisscom Broadcast has been offering customized drone flight services for over a year, and now, its collaboration with Nokia Drone Networks is elevating these services to new heights. The introduction of “drone-in-a-box” units will enhance the availability of operationally efficient drone applications, particularly for industrial use and public safety. This partnership will also enable the automation of drone operations beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS).
Advantages Across Various Applications
As part of the drone network launch, three key drone services are initially being offered:
- Emergency Services Drones (First Responders): Remotely operated drones will boost the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency services. Information gathered by these drones within the first few minutes of an incident enables swift and coordinated deployment of emergency teams. The safety of first responders is further enhanced by air hazard monitoring sensors. Rapid assessment of accident scenes, fires, or crime scenes will reduce response times and potentially save lives.
- Infrastructure Inspection: The future deployment of drone-in-a-box units across Switzerland will improve the safety of workers involved in maintaining power lines, bridges, and buildings. Companies with critical infrastructure can easily request drone inspections for hazardous or hard-to-reach areas. These inspections will aid in the early detection and correction of damage, helping to maintain infrastructure and ensure compliance with legal monitoring requirements. Swisscom Broadcast uses drones from the network to conduct periodic overflights, capturing detailed images that can be used to create digital twins if necessary. Artificial intelligence will be utilized to efficiently detect significant changes in infrastructure.
- Enhanced Site Protection: Geopolitical changes and emerging technologies may require heightened protection for critical infrastructure, production sites, public spaces, prisons, borders, and police or military facilities. The perimeter protection solution offered by Swisscom and its partners employs drones for both ground and aerial inspections. These robotic systems, combined with alarm sensors, significantly enhance the security of sensitive facilities. Automated drone-based surveillance also allows for cost reductions within a defined security plan.
Regulation of Autonomous Drone Flights
Specific regulations apply to drone flights conducted beyond direct visual contact, requiring the minimization of risks to both airspace and ground areas. The Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) monitors operational drone activities in Switzerland using the Specific Operations Risk Assessment (SORA) method. Nokia, alongside relevant regulatory authorities such as OFCOM, ensures that all flight operations adhere to the legal framework, particularly regarding frequency use and flight safety.
Nokia Partnership Enables One-Stop Solution
Drawing on their extensive experience with 4G/5G technology, Nokia and Swisscom have collaborated to develop the drone infrastructure for this project. Their combined expertise and resources are instrumental in implementing this nationwide initiative, which will benefit all of Switzerland. Nokia brings significant experience in the development and production of high-quality hardware and software, as well as in setting up a drone network in Belgium.
In the future, Swisscom Broadcast will provide customers with access to drone infrastructure developed and produced in Europe, along with comprehensive drone services from a single source. This includes consultation, automated piloting, drone flight monitoring, and secure data storage in Swisscom data centers.
Swisscom Broadcast CEO Dominik Müller stated, “The development of the nationwide drone network represents a significant milestone in advancing digital security solutions in Switzerland. With Nokia’s Drone Networks, we are adopting a proven, end-to-end solution for networked drones in both industrial and public security applications. I am confident that Nokia is the strong partner we need to elevate drone-based security to the next level.
