Citymesh has launched Belgium’s first permanently stationed intervention drone at an active airport, at DronePort in Sint-Truiden. Fully integrated with the local emergency services, the drone can take off within 90 seconds of an emergency call and stream live footage to the South-West Limburg Emergency Services Zone control room.
For the first time in Belgium, Citymesh has installed its “Safety Drone Shield” on an active airport, unveiling the system today at DronePort in Brustem. This high-tech intervention drone is permanently stationed on site and fully integrated into emergency services operations. It can take off within 90 seconds of an emergency call and stream live footage directly to the control room of the South-West Limburg Emergency Services Zone.
Thanks to the intervention drone, the fire brigade now has literal eyes in the sky. The result? Valuable time saved and a better assessment of the situation. “Even before we head out, we already have a clear view of the severity and scope of the incident,” says Colonel Bert Swijsen, zone commander. “This allows us to immediately dispatch the right people and resources, tailored to the actual needs. And once on site, the aerial overview helps us act faster and more precisely. Every second counts—especially when lives are at stake.”
A major leap forward for emergency services
Besides speed, the system also provides structural advantages for the operational workflow of emergency services: “A drone flies in a straight line, unhindered, to the location. That gives us, as the fire department, the opportunity to make an initial assessment much more quickly,” Swijsen explains. “In some cases, we can even adjust our strategy before arriving—like calling in extra personnel or choosing alternative routes.”
The aerial perspective also makes a significant difference on-site: “The commanding officer no longer has to perform time-consuming and sometimes risky terrain checks and can begin the intervention immediately upon arrival. They already have a view from above. And if we want images from a different angle? We contact the operator, who repositions the drone. Using drones also gives our dispatch time to, for example, activate the cameras on our ladder trucks or call in our firefighting robot to extinguish remotely, allowing us to maintain visual coverage for a longer period,” he explains.
Although it is still a pilot project, Swijsen sees it as a promising step towards smarter emergency response: “Through this test phase, we want to discover where the technology yields the most value and how we can deploy it to the fullest. Without a doubt, this is the first step toward faster, better, and future-oriented imaging—potentially for other emergency services as well.”
Smart technology via 5G and Remote Operation
Citymesh has fully integrated the permanent drone into the 5G SENSE project, providing the ultra-fast and stable connection required to ensure reliable live footage and remote operation over long distances.
“Thanks to 5G technology, we can safely launch the drone within 90 seconds from our Remote Operation Centers in Hasselt, Oostkamp, or Marche-en-Famenne, and transmit the footage to the emergency services control room,” says Hans Similon. “This is a powerful demonstration of what 5G, drones, and innovative collaborations can mean for society. Currently, about 30 Drones-in-a-Box (DiaBs) have been installed across all provinces, and another 40 are being deployed as we speak. We’ve already carried out over 500 flights for the zones—and April isn’t even over yet.”
DronePort as an innovation hotspot
DronePort in Sint-Truiden is an active airport and serves as an incubator for groundbreaking developments in the drone industry. The introduction of this new intervention drone underscores DronePort’s unique role as a test and development center for both manned and unmanned aviation applications. Moreover, this marks a Belgian first: the installation of a permanently operational first responder drone, directly connected to emergency services, at an active airport.
“We’re particularly proud to host such an intervention drone at DronePort,” says Ward Decaluwe, CEO of DronePort. “This milestone confirms our role as a pioneer in the development of autonomous systems and CO₂-free mobility. It highlights the added value of our ecosystem, where manned and unmanned aviation converge safely and efficiently. This allows us to fully explore and demonstrate the possibilities of drones, with safety and efficiency as top priorities. At the same time, we are making a tangible social contribution by supporting emergency services with the use of innovative technology.”
