Emergency services are increasingly integrating advanced technology to assist first responders. Zurich-based Fotokite, now with offices in Syracuse, New York, and Boulder, Colorado, has developed autonomous tethered drones that offer significant benefits to firefighters and rescue teams. By providing crucial aerial overviews, these systems help manage complex and safety-critical situations, from fires to disaster monitoring.
Fotokite’s approach contrasts with earlier drone implementations, which often faced challenges like battery limitations and the necessity for trained operators. Previously, drones were predominately used in military and tactical contexts, requiring significant expertise to operate effectively. Fotokite’s solution simplifies this by enabling autonomous flight without the need for piloting skills. This innovation is crucial for first responders, allowing them to concentrate on their primary tasks.
Innovative Tethered Drone Technology
Fotokite’s systems, developed from ETH University’s research, allow drones to autonomously navigate using a tether, eliminating the need for GPS or computer vision. This closed-loop system has gained traction in major cities like Los Angeles and London and secured significant funding, including an $11 million Series B round in April. Fotokite’s Chief Corporate Development Officer, Chris McCall, emphasizes the ease of use:
“No piloting, GPS, or computer vision is necessary. You can really do fully edge-based autonomy.”
The company’s drones are designed to be deployed directly from emergency vehicles, launching within 15 seconds at the push of a button. This rapid deployment is crucial in urgent situations, providing real-time thermal and regular video feeds to responders on the ground without any manual operation complexities.
Safety and Accessibility Benefits
Fotokite differentiates itself with tethered drones, which offer core redundancy and safety advantages over untethered systems. These drones draw primary power from the ground vehicle and have backup batteries to ensure continued operation if the primary power source fails. This setup is particularly beneficial in urban areas where GPS signals may be unreliable.
Additionally, tethered drones circumvent the need for professional pilot licenses, making them accessible to volunteer firefighters and other emergency personnel. This contrasts sharply with traditional untethered drones, which often require extensive certification. McCall points out that Fotokite’s lower operational costs further enhance its appeal:
“What we end up seeing is quite a bit of departments that come to purchase Fotokites because they’ve gone out and they’ve tried to implement drone programs and then had to deal with complications, and the costs of pilot training and maintaining trained pilots, both on-shift, on-site and available to first responders on duty.”
The continuous power supply and wired data transmission of tethered drones offer uninterrupted operation and real-time data streaming. This reliability ensures that emergency responders have immediate access to crucial information. McCall highlights the operational simplicity:
“We not only send power up the tether, but we also send data. So the full video pipelines from both the thermal and regular video and all of the controls are handled over the actual tether cable itself.”
Fotokite’s approach circumvents the limitations of radio signals, providing a stable connection that allows for real-time processing on the ground. This setup ensures that even non-specialist operators, such as battalion chiefs and sergeants, can effectively use the system in life-saving situations.
Fotokite’s tethered drones mark a significant advancement in public safety technology. By simplifying operation and enhancing reliability, these autonomous systems enable first responders to focus on their primary mission—saving lives.
