Nokia and Swisscom Broadcast have partnered to deploy a drones-as-a-service network across Switzerland, with 300 drones planned for deployment. This network will support public safety and Industry 4.0 efforts and will be the second nationwide Nokia Drone Networks project after Belgium’s Citymesh deployment.
Key Features of the Network
Emergency Response: The drones will be used for emergency response, perimeter protection, and infrastructure inspection, helping to keep public safety workers safe.
Resource Optimization: The drones will support resource optimization and help save lives by gathering relevant information within the first minutes of an emergency.
Public Safety: Public safety agencies in Switzerland will be able to tap into the nationwide drone network by simply requesting a drone flight, similar to a ride-sharing service, from Swisscom Broadcast Industrial Use Cases: The network will also support industrial use cases, such as inspecting tall or hard-to-reach infrastructure, removing the need for workers to climb or walk around hazardous areas.
Technology and Infrastructure
Nokia Drone Networks: The network will use Nokia Drone Networks, a turnkey drone-in-a-box solution that integrates the drone, a docking station, a ground control station, a payload with video and thermal cameras, related software, and service components.
Mission-Critical Industrial Edge Computing: The network will utilize mission-critical industrial edge computing (MXIE) with the support of 3GPP technologies for beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) autonomous operation.
Partnership and Deployment
Partnership: Nokia and Swisscom Broadcast have partnered to deploy the network, with Swisscom Broadcast selecting Nokia as a partner for this important infrastructure project in Switzerland.
Deployment: The network is expected to be available in all areas of Switzerland, with Nokia and Swisscom continuing to cooperate with competent regulatory bodies to ensure all operations comply with regulatory frameworks.
