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Researchers of the i2CAT research centre have developed a kit for smart drones that combines 5G technology with MOTCAM, a system based on artificial intelligence (AI) that allows real-time detection of objects and people from the images provided by a drone’s camera. The solution offers different applications in rural environments, such as locating people, detecting forest fires, and pest control, among others. Researchers tested the system last Friday at the social innovation laboratory COEbre LAB, located in Móra la Nova (Tarragona). Specifically, they conducted a technical test to locate lost or disoriented people in remote areas.
The technological solution is based on the use of a standard DIJ Matrice 300 RTK drone equipped with three technological components: a small on-board computer (Raspberry Pi 4), a BRAVE8 action camera that can capture video at a resolution level of up to 4K, and a small 5G router (Coms365) that ensures fast and stable data transmission between the drone and the MOTCAM system at the edge. The system enables high accuracy in the real-time detection of objects and people, as it uses trained AI models and advanced tracking and geolocation tools.
“The combination of 5G and the MOTCAM system represents a step forward in the digitisation of the rural environment, providing intelligent and easy-to-use software that enables real-time audiovisual data to be captured and analysed. Its analysis capabilities open up new possibilities for environmental monitoring, rural security and emergency response,” explains researcher August Betzler.
Rural Drone Operations Centre
i2CAT research staff have developed an innovative drone kit in the framework of XGain (Enhancing Competitiveness, Resilience and Sustainability of Remote Farming, Forestry and Rural Areas through Holistic Assessment of Smart XG, Last-mile and Edge Solutions’ Gains), a Horizon Europe-funded project aimed at bridging the digital divide between rural and urban areas in Europe by implementing an ecosystem of advanced digital technologies.
The Catalan research centre is the technical coordinator of this project, which started in September 2022. Since then, research staff have been working on creating a 5G testbed at the COEbre LAB in Móra la Nova (Tarragona) to assess how farmers and local service providers could benefit from a rural drone operations centre. During this time, the project has promoted workshops with various agents, including the Secretariat for Telecommunications and Digital Transformation of the Government of Catalonia, the Tarragona Provincial Council, the Ribera d’Ebre Regional Council, Rovira i Virgili University, the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA) and the Association of Rural Initiatives of Catalonia (Arca), among others. These workshops aimed at presenting the concept of rural drone operation centres and the technologies involved, as well as their potential impact on local communities.
“Drones can play a key role in transforming rural areas by offering new ways to monitor crops, soil and infrastructure from the air, to name a few application areas. Combined with advanced digital technologies such as AI or the Internet of Things (IoT), drones can help rural actors and emergency services make better decisions and act quickly in critical situations such as searching for missing persons, pests, droughts or fires,” concludes August Betzler.
The Knowledge Facilitation Tool (KFT)
Also, in the framework of the European XGain project, research staff have developed a digital tool that aims to help rural actors understand what advanced digital infrastructures they need and to be able to offer them personalised advice. This solution is the Knowledge Facilitation Tool, an innovative platform that provides customised technology recommendations and connectivity solutions tailored to the needs of different rural sectors and services. Through a user-friendly interface and analysing more than 50 digital technologies, this solution assesses the techno-economic and socio-environmental impact and proposes adapted business models. The tool aims to facilitate sustainable development and help bridge the digital divide.
