The final event of the SAFER-FLOW (Situational Awareness Framework Enabling Robust Emergency Response for Urban Flood Warnings) and DCA (Drone Care Angel) pilot projects took place on October 24th, 2024, at Jardim Oudinot, in Ílhavo, and was a success. These pilots are part of the European IMAGINE-B5G project (Jan23-Dec25), an initiative focused on applying 5G technologies to enhance connectivity in critical areas such as public safety and healthcare.
Altice Labs and the Instituto de Telecomunicações de Aveiro, responsible for a 5G experimental platform that supports several activities with the participation of external partners, demonstrated the use of 5G and “Beyond 5G” technologies in Public Protection and Disaster Relief (PPDR) and eHealth scenarios.
Carlos Marques and Álvaro Gomes, from the Innovation Strategy and Communication department at Altice Labs, coordinated the preparation and execution of the event.
In the context of PPDR (SAFER-FLOW), the OneSource company (Coimbra) showcased the work developed in the pilot, which focused on the management of complex flooding scenarios. Their platform integrates flow monitoring sensors, drone images, body cams, and operational monitoring sensors, facilitating more informed decision-making in the command center, both in terms of prevention and the activation and monitoring of rescue teams.
In the eHealth sector (DCA), the Load Digital company (Aveiro), in partnership with the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN), demonstrated their work developed for monitoring people with health problems. Their platform integrates drone images and individual monitoring sensors, enabling remote tracking of individuals. This system alerts a remote health assistant for immediate interaction and, if necessary, activates emergency teams.
The event also featured the presence of local entities, such as the Ílhavo City Council, represented by the vice-president Dr. João Semedo, and the Civil Protection, represented by the municipal coordinator Dr. Pedro Gonçalves. Both actively participated, providing positive feedback and expressing interest in future initiatives.