- 5G and AirborneRF technology enables safe drone operations
- Automated information exchange with drones beyond visual line of sight
- Cooperation enables new IoT services in the digital airspace
Austria’s leading communications provider, A1, and software company Dimetor are combining the advantages of A1’s 4G and 5G infrastructure with Dimetor’s AirborneRF technology as part of a new partnership. The goal is to provide airspace connectivity and data which is necessary for the safe operation of automated commercial drones across Austria.
Both companies have been working successfully for several years on the integration of AirborneRF and the connection of mobile networks with unmanned aircraft systems. An example of their work in action is the GoF 2.0 project, funded by the SESAR 3 Joint Undertaking as part of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.
Martin Resel, CCO at A1 commented: “Drone technology will continue to become increasingly important for companies and society in the next few years. Many opportunities lie in automated use cases “beyond visual line of sight” that require reliable 5G connectivity and comprehensive risk assessment of flights. I am very pleased that we are working intensively with Dimetor in this area.”
Information exchange between infrastructure, drone operators and traffic control systems
The automated exchange of information between A1’s mobile infrastructure, drone operators and unmanned traffic control systems (UTM) is crucial for the safe and efficient operation of drones beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) and opens up a variety of new business opportunities in several industries. For example, A1 uses AirborneRF technology to integrate airspace survey analysis, 4D airspace connectivity data, flight path analysis/data and ground risk data into existing data processes and aviation systems.
Thomas Neubauer, CEO and co-founder of Dimetor added: “Working with A1 has the potential to transform the way many industries work by providing new and reliable infrastructure for inspections, emergency services, logistics, mobility, healthcare and much more. I am proud to be part of this journey that will shape the future of airspace use in Austria and beyond.”
Partnership with Airlabs Austria
A1 is also an important partner of Airlabs Austria, whose goal is to create a national innovation laboratory that connects stakeholders, users, industrial companies and research institutions. As part of Airlabs, A1 focuses on current and future requirements in the areas of research, development, validation and integration of unmanned aircraft systems.
About Dimetor
Dimetor is a software company bridging the data gap between communications service providers (CSPs) and the aviation ecosystems. Through its world-leading platform AirborneRF, they help provide supplementary data that is critical for safe BVLOS drone operations. AirborneRF focuses on (a) the 3D corridors in space that have sufficiently good connectivity for drone operations (e.g. for networked remote ID, command and control, payload communication) and (b) the population density for ground risk assessment based on anonymized cellular mobility data. Developed by experts in mobile communication networks, aviation and drone technology, AirborneRF also provides live notifications from the CSP networks in case of any issue during flight operation. Dimetor’s software has been deployed worldwide, including Australia, Europe and North America.
Visit www.dimetor.com and www.airborneRF.com for more information.
About A1
A1 (Unitary Service Enterprise “A1”) is a provider of telecommunication, ICT and content services in Belarus. The company started its commercial activity on April 16, 1999, when it became the first GSM mobile operator in the country. Since November 2007, it has been a part of the international A1 Telekom Austria Group, which is a European subdivision of the transnational holding América Móvil, one of the world’s largest wireless service providers. Until August 2019, the company operated under the Velcom brand.
More than 4.8 million people are subscribers of A1 mobile communication services in Belarus, and more than 1.2 million households have access to a fixed network using GPON and Ethernet technologies in regional cities and the largest district centres. In addition, IPTV (VOKA) digital television services, products for business, as well as data storage and cloud services are provided under the brand name A1, based on its own data centre, one of the largest in the country. The company employs more than 2,300 people, and A1 stores are located in all major population centres across the country.