Nokia showcases power of drones and LTE connectivity for public safety in Dubai

Nokia has showcased the use of drones to facilitate efficient rescue operations for first responders. Using its Ultra Compact Network - a highly portable base station - Nokia has demonstrated the creation of an instant high-speed LTE network to establish connectivity between video camera-equipped drones and a control center.

The demonstration of the innovative 'Nokia Saves Lives' initiative took place at the UAE Drones for Good (D4G) Award event, which opened today in Dubai.

Network connectivity is often the first priority of any rescue operation since it is often compromised in disaster situations. Nokia's Ultra Compact Network provides a standalone LTE network to quickly re-establish connectivity to various mission-critical applications including video-equipped drones.

Drones can stream video and other sensor data in real time from the disaster site to a control center, providing inputs such as exact locations where people are stranded and nature of the difficulty of reaching the locations.

The Nokia Saving Lives initiative establishes such a control center in a disaster location which analyzes data using Nokia Video Analytics technology to derive useful insights that enable quick decision-making for prioritizing tasks for efficient and safe rescue operations. Nokia's Video and Data Analytics solution together with rescue applications and mission advisor tools provide the required intelligence for making appropriate decisions quickly.

In October last year, Nokia became a member of the GSMA Humanitarian Connectivity Charter which aims to support improved access to communication and information for those affected by crisis in order to reduce the loss of life and positively contribute to humanitarian response.

Nokia will continue such cooperation and will partner with operators and NGOs in its initiative to help rescue operations, providing a limited number of its Nokia Saving Lives initiative with a not-for-profit approach. The initiative is currently being tested with operators and NGOs and will be demonstrated at Mobile World Congress 2017.

Bernard Najm, head of the Middle East Market Unit, Nokia, said: "Nokia always strives to expand the human possibilities of technologies for the benefit of mankind. We are committed to corporate social responsibility, and with 'Nokia Saves Lives' we want to use our technologies with drones to show efficient rescue operations in collaboration with NGOs and network operators. The selection of this initiative by the UAE Drones for Good Award for a public demonstration in Dubai clearly shows usefulness of this innovative initiative for smart disaster recovery."

Overview of Nokia Saving Lives:

•Group of drones carrying cameras for streaming videos and providing other sensory data in real time

•Nokia Saving Lives Control Center comprising network control, drone control, rescue applications, mission advisor tool and monitors

•Nokia Ultra Compact Network, a lightweight, transportable base station - small enough to fit into a backpack - which can rapidly deploy highly secure and reliable 4G network connectivity

•Nokia Video and Data Analytics for deriving useful insights