T-Mobile Czech Republic, the largest Czech mobile carrier, has teamed up with the leading experts in unmanned aerial aviation from Primoco UAV SE. Together, they have developed and tested a unique solution for signal boosting during emergencies and commercial events outside of normal signal coverage. The technology enables the propagation of the mobile signal exclusively through the air — without using a ground transmitter. The project is being developed and piloted in the Czech Republic, with potential use within the Deutsche Telekom Group. T-Mobile CZ was the first operator in Europe to present this innovative solution in practice, along with successful test results. It plans to deploy the technology in live operation in two weeks’ time during the Jizerska 50 cross-country ski race.
As a leader in technology innovation, T-Mobile introduced a unique compact portable mobile micro station late last year. After last year’s pilot , it now brings another alternative to mobile signal coverage — boosting the network of the future using a drone. With the help of a drone with a mobile station, it can — under favourable weather conditions — ‘deliver’ a mobile signal anywhere it is needed — and it is the first ever carrier in Europe to do so. Over the past two years, T-Mobile has invested around CZK 5 billion in mobile network development and implemented more than 4,100 projects to upgrade its network to support 5G technology.
“This technology has great potential not only in emergency situations such as fires, earthquakes or floods. These are all situations where terrestrial transmitters temporarily or completely go out of service, or it is necessary to cover an area where the signal is not normally available,” says Vladan Peković, CTIO T-Mobile Czech Republic , adding. “It can also bring extensive opportunities for commercial use — with the growing popularity of mass sporting or cultural events in the countryside, there is a growing need for temporary signal reinforcement during such events. For example, in areas with special legal protection, where it is impossible to build a permanent ground transmitter or, due to inaccessible terrain, typically in mountainous and densely forested areas or protected areas, to solve the situation even with a temporarily built mobile station.”
The Primoco One 150 drone is designed and manufactured in the Czech Republic. The built-in mobile transmitter can be connected to a dedicated local network core to create a stand-alone campus network — for example, for emergency services. However, it can also be connected directly to the live network core via satellite. The drone is operated by a specialist from a control centre, most often from a vehicle due to its movement in the field. The Primoco One 150 drones carry equipment supplied by T-Mobile weighing 8 kg but can carry up to 30 kg and move in operational deployment at 1-2 km above the ground.
The drone used by T-Mobile in partnership with Primoco UAV SE has a flight time of up to 15 hours, a flight altitude of up to 3,300 m and a range of up to 1,800km at a cruising speed of 120 km/h — it can cover any area in the EU in a matter of hours. A 10 MHz channel is used for signal transmission, with a speed of up to 90 Mbps. The range of the signal depends on the flight altitude and the frequencies used. Typical coverage is around 9 km2, with a limit of nearly 20 km2. One drone can serve up to a thousand active users in the context of mobile signal distribution. From the user’s point of view, nothing changes except the coverage; it is enough to have a 4G or 5G-enabled mobile phone and an active SIM card from T-Mobile. To make the most of the network’s potential, it is best to use a 5G-enabled phone.
“Primoco One 150 is the first certified UAV in this category in the civil domain — it is EASA LUC approved to SAIL III level and is in the final stages of military certification to NATO STANAG 4703. This means that it is virtually equal to a normal transport aircraft — it can fly over built-up areas without needing a Civil Aviation Authority permit, which increases the flexibility and efficiency of its deployment,” says Ladislav Semetkovsky, CEO of Primoco UAV SE . The company has produced over 200 aircraft that are operated on four continents. “This year, we will start constructing a new production facility with a capacity of 250 drones per year to meet the growing demands of multinational partners such as Airbus Defence. We see the partnership with T-Mobile and the Deutsche Telekom group as a great opportunity to bring the potential offered by drones to the benefit of the majority of the population, whether it be for emergencies or large commercial events.”
Jaroslav Holiš, Research & Development Senior Manager at Deutsche Telekom , confirms this: “We are very pleased that this innovative project sponsored by the Deutsche Telekom Group is taking place in the Czech Republic. It means great trust, significant investments are being made here, and innovations applicable to other countries in the Group are being developed here. The Czech Republic is thus participating in a unique innovation, the first in the EU. This solution can quickly help all components of the integrated rescue system in emergencies. Still, the potential of the technology is so great that we feel obliged to share it with anyone interested. We are, of course, in the beginning, but we are already discussing with relevant EU government departments to offer the technology to support their emergency services or defence forces.”Primoco has been a publicly traded company on the main market of the Prague Stock Exchange since 2018, with a market capitalisation of CZK 4.5 billion.
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