Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport underlined its positioning as an innovation airport when testing automated drone use. The companies Droniq and Eviden have now carried out a test operation at the airport that simulated the automated drone inspection of a car fire, including the search for people using a thermal imaging camera.
Paderborn is the first district in all of Germany to want to establish automated drone systems for relief operations.
“The current strategy of equipping every emergency vehicle with a drone is not optimal from an economic and time perspective. That’s why we’re working together on an automated flying drone that enables quick help, especially in locations that are difficult to access,”
explains District Administrator Christoph Rüther, who, as chairman of the airport’s supervisory board, is driving the innovation airport forward.
In an automated drone operation, the drone flies independently to the location and receives the operational command from a control center. A pilot who sets up and controls the drone on site is no longer necessary. In a “drone garage” the drone can be kept charged and operational so that it is ready to take off at any time. When an operational command is given, the weatherproof station opens and the drone flies along its route before returning to it. The drone is integrated into air traffic via a transponder and enables safe operation together with other aircraft.
During the demonstration at Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport, Droniq took care of the execution of the flight and the integration of the drone into the airspace. Droniq had previously applied for the necessary flight permit. Eviden was responsible for communication at the control center. “The automated use of drones marks the next logical step in the use of this technology, from which fire departments and other rescue services, for example, can benefit,” says Droniq CEO Jan-Eric Putze.
After the successful test, Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport, the Paderborn district and the companies Droniq and Eviden will work together to further develop and refine the system. If the Paderborn district purchases automated drone systems, a copy will be set up at the airport.
“This project is another important building block as part of our innovation airport. Our airport is particularly suitable for testing innovative systems because, as a fully equipped commercial airport, we have all the technical facilities and at the same time have the necessary free time during flight operations,”
emphasizes airport managing director Roland Hüser.
About Droniq GmbH
Droniq GmbH is a joint venture founded in 2019 by DFS Deutsche Flugsicherung (51% share) and Deutsche Telekom (49% share). The Frankfurt am Main-based company has set itself the task of promoting the professional and safe use of drones by authorities and organizations with security tasks as well as companies.
The core of Droniq’s product offering is the Droniq traffic management system for drones (UTM).
Photo: During the test operation at Paderborn/Lippstadt Airport (from left): District Administrator Christoph Rüther (Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Airport), Angie Reeh (Network Coordinator, Innovation Airport), Ulrich Wilmsmann (DAA CE Practice Head, Eviden), Jan-Eric Putze (Chief Executive Officer, Droniq) and Roland Hüser (Managing Director, Airport) – Flughafen-Paderborn-Lippstadt
Source: Press Release