South Korean telco KT has unveiled its 5G emergency network service called Skyship that uses airship drones to search for survivors in the aftermath of disasters. KT collaborated with local drone maker Metismake to design the helium gas-based airship, which has an attached pod with propellant, network module, high-resolution camera, and a trunk that can deploy smaller drones to the ground. It was designed in NACA airfoil and can maintain stable flight in 13 metre-per-second winds. It has a maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour and can fly up to six hours. The airship will also scan for LTE and 5G mobile signals and sync it with the telco's data to provide the name, age, and other personal information available to rescuers. KT said it will later add medical records so that hospitals and emergency crews can immediately find out the blood type and preexisting conditions of survivors. Once the airship picks up a signal of a survivor, the trunk will open to deploy the smaller drones that will deliver emergency kits and supplies. It will also send smaller robots on the ground to survivors. The company will standardise the hardware requirements such as network module and camera to allow third-party development. KT said it will expand availability of the service that capitalises on its 5G network, which will go commercial next year. What is 5G? Everything you need to know about the new wireless revolution It is a capital improvement project the size of the entire planet, replacing one wireless architecture created this century with another one that aims to lower energy consumption and maintenance costs. Sure, you'll download movies faster on your phone, but that's not the real reason 5G's arrival is being accelerated. Nokia and TeamTalk partner on connected emergency services vehicles Nokia and TeamTalk will collaborate on using vehicles for critical communications base stations, as well as on private 4G networks, wireless tech, and IoT solutions. South Korea's IoT in full swing: From water meters to AI-powered smart buildings In South Korea's small towns and big cities, the Internet of Things (IoT) is changing everything from utilities to subways to buildings as more municipalities and companies capitalise on new computing and network technologies. Drones help with hurricane recovery efforts Unmanned aerial vehicles are heading to heading to damaged areas in unprecedented numbers. How drones and automated rovers monitor critical infrastructure (TechRepublic) AI-powered drones increase efficiency, reduce cost, and can spot problems humans might miss, said VOS.AI CEO Daniel Rodriguez.
South Korean telecoms giant Skyship will use airship drones to search for survivors of disasters as part of its 5G emergency network platform, KT. A helium gas-powered airship will feature a camera and a trunk that can deploy smaller drones carrying medical supplies to people on the ground. It will also scan for mobile phone signals and sync them with Skyship data to provide rescuers with the name and age of possible survivors.