NTT East Kanagawa and NTT e-Drone Technology collaborated with the Hakone Fire Department to verify the effectiveness of using drones to search for people in need of rescue.
Specifically, the team placed rescuers in an area beyond the reach of conventional Hakone Fire Department aircraft (approximately 1 kilometer away, with a ridge at an altitude of 853 meters), and confirmed whether the drone could reach the area. Since drones can transmit images to the transmitter and control the aircraft through LTE, we also used LTE overflight services this time.
Images captured by a drone from above the person in need of rescue were transmitted in real time to an environment that simulates the Hakone Fire Department’s communications control room (NTT Yokohama Building), allowing the condition of the person in need of rescue and the surrounding environment to be confirmed.
Based on the verification results,  NTT East Group will step up its efforts to introduce its cutting-edge drones and real-time video distribution services, which are ”wider, faster, and safer,” to fire departments across the country.