Citymesh is significantly expanding its €10 million 5G drone network in Belgium. The initiative currently comprises 16 drone platforms, three remote operations centers, and about 10 pilots. Aiming to scale up, Citymesh plans to have 70 drones and 40 pilots across five centers. Dubbed “Safety Drone Shield,” this project offers a national drone network service for Belgium’s public safety and emergency services, rapidly expanding across 35 rescue zones.
Citymesh partners with Nokia for 5G equipment and drone supplies. This collaboration serves as a model for a similar, potentially larger, drone project in Switzerland with Swisscom. Additionally, Citymesh is working on a fourth public mobile network in Belgium with Digi. The company, through a statement and an interview with the Belgian business newspaper De Tijd, provided updates on new locations and progress in the project.
A year ago, Citymesh had only two operational drone platforms for surveillance in Belgium’s 35 rescue zones. Following its acquisition of Belgian-based Drone Vision in June 2023, the firm enhanced its drone division’s capabilities and customer base. This week, Citymesh announced at Belgium’s Provincial Institute for Training and Education (PIVO) that the Safety Drone Shield service now involves 16 drone systems overseen by 10 pilots from three centers located in Hasselt, Oostkamp, and Marche-en-Famenne.
The Belgian investment amounts to €10 million, with €3.6 million subsidized by the Federal Public Service (FPS) Economy of Belgium. According to the firm, these drones can be launched within 90 seconds and reach targeted locations within four minutes. Cegeka, an IT provider previously the majority owner of Citymesh, now collaborates on developing the SENSE app. This app enables police to summon drones for interventions manually, while the process remains automated for firefighters.
Citymesh’s drone operations get additional support from research center Imec and drone firm Skeydrone. Skeydrone was founded in 2023 by air traffic controller Skeyes and Cegeka. The Safety Drone Shield is also employed for training purposes, including exercises for firefighters and police, with footage recorded for later review. Currently available from 8 am to 8 pm, the service aims to become operational 24/7.
Citymesh stated, “This drone streams live footage to emergency services, allowing them to make more efficient and better-informed decisions. The drone has a five-kilometre range, operates on a 5G network, and is equipped with both thermal and regular cameras. The temperature and battery of the drone-in-a-box are automatically regulated for optimal performance.”
The project’s trial phase began in 2018, with services offered in Kortrijk for the Fluvia fire brigade, as well as at Brussels Airport and the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Full integration was achieved for fire and police services in Genk by mid-2022. This expansion represents a significant step towards integrating advanced technology with public safety infrastructure, illustrating the potential for wider use in various other regions and applications.
