Nokia and Motorola Solutions have forged a drones partnership, resulting in a powerful AI drone-in-a-box solution.
The collaboration merges Nokia’s Drone Networks platform with Motorola Solutions’ CAPE drone software to create a solution that enhances public safety and mission-critical industries by providing heightened situational awareness, streamlining remote operations, and enabling swift decision-making.
Dispatching AI drones ahead of first responders
One capability of the solution is to deploy drones ahead of first responders. By assessing the severity of a situation, drones can aid in the allocation of appropriate resources and reduce response times in critical scenarios.
The solution allows public safety and mission-critical industries to dispatch drones remotely from one or more operation centres in an instant, assessing emergencies and hazards as they arise. Integrated AI-powered intelligence processes real-time data to guide decision-making, ultimately keeping workers, property, and facilities safer.
CAPE software ensures safety and efficiency during flight. Its features include adjusting the drone’s path to avoid obstacles, staying within geofenced boundaries, and adapting to changes in terrain altitude. Simultaneously, Nokia’s drone-in-a-box solution ensures seamless connectivity using 4G/LTE or 5G networks, enabling beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations over vast areas.
Improving first responder safety and industrial operations
Drone as First Responder (DFR) programmes are key to bolstering first responder safety, providing real-time situational insight that facilitates better coordination, oversight, and transparent operations. The technology offers immense potential in mission-critical scenarios, where obtaining an aerial perspective can save lives by delivering intelligence that informs strategic decisions.
Mission-critical industries such as oil and gas, utilities, ports, mining, energy, and manufacturing also benefit from the solution’s capabilities. For example, BVLOS and remote operation functionalities can enhance worker safety at hazardous or inaccessible sites, including offshore wind farms or large industrial plants.
Additionally, implementing drones as an alternative to traditional methods—such as using helicopters for site inspections—offers a sustainable option that significantly reduces carbon emissions.
Roxana Kennedy, Chief of Police at the Chula Vista Police Department in California, said: “In 2018, we created and developed the world’s first public safety Drone as First Responder programme in partnership with Motorola Solutions, utilising their CAPE drone software. Since then, we’ve successfully flown over 21,000 missions.
“Our DFR programme 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.”
Sustainability and long-term impact of AI drones
A key aspect of Nokia Drone Networks is its adherence to international industry standards and sustainability practices. The platform is built with long-lasting, upgradable components, helping to reduce electronic waste over time.
Stephan Litjens, VP of CNS Enterprise Campus Edge Solutions at Nokia, commented: “We are proud to collaborate with an innovator like Motorola Solutions in this significant step toward a more mature and sustainable drone industry for the benefit of our customers, workers, and community. Together, we are setting technology best practices in drone connectivity and AI.
“With an open API architecture that facilitates easy integration with third-party applications, and other solutions like Nokia’s MX Grid, Nokia Drones-in-a-Box, and Motorola Solutions’ CAPE software, we are transforming drones into daily helpers for public safety and mission-critical operations.”
The integration of Nokia Drone Networks with Motorola’s CAPE software addresses not only the technological requirements of drones but also the evolving needs of the industries they serve.
Jehan Wickramasuriya, Corporate Vice President of AI and Intelligence Platforms at Motorola Solutions, explained: “We’re innovating where our customers need us most to bring them better intelligence for faster decisions.
“This drone-in-a-box solution furthers our commitment to drone innovation that seamlessly fits within our customers’ current workflows to give those charged with our safety actionable live-stream insights while simplifying evidence collection.”
From improving situational awareness to enhancing worker safety and reducing environmental impact, this venture has the potential to set a new standard for how drones are used in public safety and industrial settings.
(Image Credit: Nokia)
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