Nokia and Motorola Solutions have teamed up to offer a groundbreaking 4G/5G drone solution designed to enhance public safety and support crucial industry operations. This innovative system is an out-of-the-box package consisting of integrated hardware and software, which is crafted to aid first responders and emergency services, as well as mission-critical industries. It boasts AI-enhancements, is turnkey, and operates automatically.
The partnership combines Nokia’s 4G/5G unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) solution with Motorola’s CAPE navigational software. This integration is pivotal for the solution, which features docking stations, ground control systems, a dual-gimbal camera, and additional software and services. The CAPE software ensures the path adaptability, avoiding obstacles within geofenced areas and accounting for terrain elevation changes. It leverages AI to analyze real-time data, improving workflow by offering rapid responses and creating evidence-grade records of events. The dual-gimbal camera offers high-definition video and thermal streaming.
A key benefit of this system is its ability to remotely dispatch drones from multiple operation centers swiftly, supporting emergency assessments and hazard evaluations with AI-generated insights. This helps in securing worker safety and property by optimizing decision-making processes.
The application of drone technology by emergency services, known as ‘drone-as-first-responder’ (DFR) programs, significantly improves responder safety and operation transparency. This drone solution also benefits industries such as oil and gas, mining, and utilities, where private 4G/5G networks enable remote control of drones for inaccessible sites like offshore wind farms. Notably, using multiple drone systems can reduce carbon emissions compared to traditional helicopters.
Motorola Solutions has a notable contract with the Chula Vista Police Department, claiming the world’s first DFR project, operational since 2018. Police Chief Roxana Kennedy highlights, “We’ve since flown over 21,000 missions. It has been instrumental in critical life-and-death situations by providing aerial awareness or helping officers de-escalate incidents by delivering real-time, vital information.”
Additionally, Nokia’s collaboration with other groups, such as Swisscom Broadcast in Switzerland and Citymesh in Belgium, demonstrates the technology’s potential. The Swiss deployment encompasses a network of 300 drones for emergency and industrial functions, and the Belgian project includes about 70 drones, continually expanding Nokia’s influence in this domain.
Also expanding their market, Nokia’s drone-in-a-box solution, approved by the FCC, is being distributed in the US through partners like Kyndryl and AT&T, catering to regions beyond Europe, including Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Commenting on the collaboration’s impact, Jehan Wickramasuriya, corporate vice president at Motorola Solutions, said this enhances their commitment to innovation. Stephan Litjens from Nokia adds they are setting new standards, emphasizing an open API architecture to allow integration with third-party applications. Together, these developments reimagine drones as essential tools for public safety and critical operations.
