Reliable coverage is not only important on land, but also at sea. Certain parts of the Dutch coastal waters are not covered. Therefore, startup Drocean aims to create a complete and detailed 5G/4G coverage map of the North Sea to foster within the Dutch maritime sector.
This project aims to tackle several challenges, such as poor network reception and network range from coastal areas to international waters and legal restrictions for drone operations (BVLOS). This aligns with Drocean’s expertise as a company specializing in offshore drone operations.
Documenting coverage areas and connectivity capabilities are essential, as there is a growing demand for offshore wireless applications. For example, to inspect wind farms with drones or to communicate with wave energy converters. With this project, Drocean is laying the foundation for digital innovation at sea. The collected data can help other companies develop solutions that require 5G.
Many smaller initiatives have conducted similar experiments for own use, only covering parts of the waters, resulting in scattered data and expertise. Drocean strives to realize a complete overview of the offshore coverage.
The drones used for this project usually operate on radio signals only. However, to determine which areas at sea have sufficient coverage to transmit media, such as video, wave measurements or other large files, the use of 5G is essential. Drocean expects to gain insight into communication possibilities and achieve advantages in terms of connectivity, bandwidth, latency and reliability by using 5G as a wireless communication network during the experiment.
The approach will be phased in several steps. First, prototypes of the drone measurement system will be evaluated and tested. Then, the data collection will start using drones equipped with a 5G modem, measuring signal strength from different altitudes. This will eventually lead to 3D heatmaps, visualising coverage variations.
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The global development of 6G is in full swing. This next-generation mobile technology will reach the market in 2030. With the Future Network Services (FNS) programme, the Netherlands is investing in this development. Do IoT Fieldlab has a key role as a partner in this programme. The development of digital technologies is moving fast and many countries and companies worldwide are investing heavily in these areas. The Netherlands is a forerunner in the development of communication technology and intends to take a leading position in the development of 6G as well.
The Dutch greenhouse horticulture sector is facing a pressing challenge: while the workload continues to increase, skilled labour is increasingly scarce. There is no shortage of tasks, only of hands to do them. How can we ensure that productivity and sustainability remain safeguarded? The Telegreen project may offer an answer: a collaboration between academia and companies developing an innovative humanoid arm that will support employees and secure the future of the sector.
How can 5G help hearing-impaired people have a much clearer hearing of speech in a noisy environment? Dutch company Absolute Audio Labs is experimenting with integrating 5G technology into a hearing aid. Their aim is to significantly improve the audibility of a conversation, even when someone is whispering.
Delft based startup PATS is developing insect monitoring and bio-inspired control systems for greenhouse horticulture. Pest insects in a greenhouse can disturb plant growth or even be a threat to crop yields. Yet, in a healthy ecosystem, some insects can specifically be helpful. Therefore, distinguishing one from the other is preferable, to deploy the appropriate control measure. The aim of this project is to investigate how 5G can contribute to establish fast, reliable connections and improvement in data management.
Technological progress in recent years does not yet solve the labour shortage in greenhouse farming. The introduction of 5G is expected to accelerate innovation for sustainable food supply while stimulating more efficient cultivation. For instance, plant health is currently still mainly assessed by the human eye. Delft startup Plense Technologies wants to improve cultivation quality with their ultrasound sensors.
The “Do IoT for greenhouse horticulture” project is accelerating digital innovations in the Dutch Province of Zuid-Holland to ensure sustainable and efficient food production. The use of 5G, sensors and robots is central to the experiments.
Rail Connected is a Dutch company that develops wireless sensors for the railways. With the wireless axle counter that registers passing trains, Rail Connected wants to contribute to optimising train traffic and making it more sustainable.
Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the central developments in digitalization, with 5G as an important technological enabler. Mobility will change a lot as well thanks to this realiable new technology. It will be another three to four years before the Netherlands has national 5G coverage, but the Do IoT Fieldlab and MICD are already working on several promising use cases.