{"id":67043,"date":"2025-02-14T13:44:09","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T10:44:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vidzeme.lv\/?p=67043"},"modified":"2025-02-14T13:44:09","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T10:44:09","slug":"land-surveying-safety-monitoring-and-5g-network-exploring-the-potential-of-drone-operations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vidzeme.lv\/en\/land-surveying-safety-monitoring-and-5g-network-exploring-the-potential-of-drone-operations\/","title":{"rendered":"Land surveying, safety monitoring and 5G network – exploring the potential of drone operations"},"content":{"rendered":"

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On the 12th of February, Vidzeme Planning Region organized a seminar \u201cDrone Data Collection and Processing \u2013 use cases in Latvia\u201d in Valmiermui\u017ea as part of the \u201cSmart Skies\u201d project, bringing together 50 participants from Latvia and Estonia.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The seminar program was designed to introduce the current examples of drone use in Latvian municipalities, as well as share the experience of leading companies in Latvia. Large enterprises, such as LMT and Latvian State Forests have already taken great strides in the application and development of unmanned aviation solutions.<\/p>\n

K\u0101rlis Linde, the head of unmanned aircraft exploitation at \u201cLatvijas valsts me\u017ei\u201d (Latvian State Forests),<\/strong> told how since 2014, when the first drone flights were carried out for land surveying purposes, the company has gradually become one of the pioneers in UAV applications. Since then it has grown to a large fleet of more than 170 drones and 500 trained pilots.<\/p>\n

A useful assistant for LSF specialists in forestry work is the DJI \u201cMavic 3\u201d series drone, which was demonstrated in action by the drone service and training company \u201cdronueksperts.lv\u201d.<\/strong><\/p><\/div>

Several tasks that Latvia State Forests perform in its territories with the help of drones \u2013 surveying drainage ditches and forest roads \u2013 are also planned for piloting in Valmiera municipality within the \u201cSmart Skies\u201d project.<\/p><\/div>

Experts from “Latvijas Mobilais Telefons” (Latvian Mobile Telephone)<\/strong> also emphasized the importance of drone pilot training in their presentation, also outlining the company\u2019s innovation development directions. LMT, together with Riga Municipal Police, is working on the \u201c5G4Lives\u201d project, which will ensure drone flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) using 5G network coverage.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the head of LMT UAV pilot training, Mikus Porietis, highlighted the importance of a common understanding of the existing airspace regulation for all those involved in the operation and monitoring of drone flights. The main flight supervisor is the Civil Aviation Agency, and the airspace for flights is limited by the restriction zones set out on the \u201cLatvian Air Traffic\u201d map, not by any internal municipal regulations.<\/p>\n

Representatives from the Valmiera County<\/strong> and Riga City<\/strong> municipalities also shared their experience in the use of unmanned aircraft.<\/p><\/div>

Drones are already present in some of their daily operations, but both municipalities have greater goals and ambitions for drone flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS), which the operator can control remotely.<\/p><\/div>

Riga Municipal<\/strong> police will pilot this solution in Vec\u0101\u0137i beach and Lake \u0136\u012b\u0161ezers. Testing BVLOS flights is also an ambition of Valmiera Municipality, in addition to already exploiting drones with direct presence of an operator.<\/p><\/div>