Nokia has introduced an innovative drone-in-a-box solution that is the first of its kind to receive CE certification. This turnkey solution is designed to meet the needs of various organisations, including public safety agencies, smart cities, construction, energy, and defence. With its CE certification, it meets the safety requirements of the European Union. The Nokia Drone Networks solution utilises 4G/LTE and 5G connectivity to enhance situational awareness for professionals and first responders.

Manufactured in Europe, the solution consists of Nokia drones, a docking station, a dual gimbal camera, and edge cloud processing powered by Nokia MX Industrial Edge (MXIE). By leveraging both public and private 4G/LTE and 5G networks, customers can enjoy reliable connectivity. Cellular connectivity offers advantages such as higher data rates and lower latency, enabling the streaming of more data compared to Wi-Fi. The solution also enables beyond-visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations with real-time kinetic (RTK) positioning, enhancing situational awareness. With dual modem connectivity, Nokia drones can simultaneously connect to multiple networks, complying with redundancy requirements set by aviation regulatory bodies.

The Nokia Drone Networks solution allows for remote operation, making it ideal for search and rescue missions and assessing hazardous environments. The drones can be programmed to perform autonomous scheduled flights, providing additional security at large events or conducting regular remote equipment inspections. The docking station not only protects the drone and its payload from external hazards and harsh weather but also charges the drone remotely, preparing it for the next flight.

When combined with Nokia MXIE, data collected by Nokia drones can be processed in real-time at the edge cloud. The solution features an open API framework that enables agencies and enterprises to integrate pre-integrated Nokia and third-party applications and systems, offering a wide range of public safety and Industry 4.0 use cases for drone automation. These include object identification, tracking, and network measurements.

The effectiveness of the Nokia Drone Networks solution has already been demonstrated through its use in conjunction with private LTE for transmission line inspection by Nokia and the New York Power Authority.

Thomas Eder, Head of Embedded Wireless Solutions at Nokia, said: 

“Our mission is to reshape the industrial UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) market, providing enhanced situational awareness to aid search and rescue, surveillance, and other UAV operations in a wide variety of industries. Nokia Drone Networks has been designed to comply with the remote operation requirements of aviation regulatory bodies such as EASA in Europe and FAA in the United States. This will help us address growing market demands as a turnkey provider with a solution designed and produced in Europe. The unique feature set enabling the integration of Nokia drones with third-party applications will aid the transformation of the drones, allowing them to be used as a flying data collection platform leveraging reliable 4G and 5G edge cloud connectivity.”

The Nokia Drone Networks solution offers over 50 minutes of flight time and can cover distances of more than 30 km, depending on the deployed configuration. It will be showcased at the Nokia booth during Critical Communications World in Helsinki from May 23-25, 2023.