Austrian Federal Railways (ÖBB) and Frequentis, a leading provider of communication and information technology solutions, have entered into a partnership to explore the implementation of automated drone flights beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) for railway applications.
The collaboration aims to introduce a new era of safety and efficiency in Austria's extensive railway network, which spans nearly 10,000 kilometres of track and over 1,000 stations.
The partnership is focused on utilizing drones for routine maintenance inspections, early detection of infrastructure damage, natural hazard management, route availability monitoring, and emergency response at major events.
By employing drones, ÖBB and Frequentis aim to enhance the overall safety and reliability of the railway infrastructure, minimizing disruptions and improving overall service delivery.
"This cooperation is an important step for us," stated Johann Pluy, Member of the Board of ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG. "With the help of BVLOS flights, we will not only increase the safety of our facilities but will also be able to handle extra tasks more frequently and at lower cost in the future. I am very excited about this promising cooperation with Frequentis."
Norbert Haslacher, CEO of Frequentis, echoed Pluy's sentiments, emphasising the transformative potential of drone technology for the railway industry. "The drone ecosystem is currently growing rapidly, with the number of commercial use cases continuously increasing," he explained. "We are pleased to join forces with our customer ÖBB to test the operational feasibility of hangar-based automated drone flights for future-oriented railway operations in Austria."
The pilot project will encompass a wide range of possible applications, including:
- Incident response and damage assessment
- Route availability monitoring and forecasting
- Natural hazard detection and risk assessment
- Inspection activities for infrastructure and rolling stock
- Shunting operations at railway yards
Through this collaboration, ÖBB and Frequentis hope to gain valuable insights into the operational feasibility and potential benefits of BVLOS drone flights for railway operations. The trial operation, expected to last for an initial period of one year, will involve weekly drone flights over selected ÖBB routes, allowing for the collection of data and the refinement of procedures.
Photo: Frequentis
