Virgin Media O2 is to trial 4G and 5G connected drones to help support emergency services in UK national parks.

According to figures from Mountain Rescue England and Wales, visitor numbers to UK national parks have increased by around 40 per cent compared to 2019 and 15 per cent from 2020.

Emergency services in rural areas like Snowdonia are reliant on receiving 999 calls, but mobile connections are often interrupted by the extreme geographical landscape, which impacts emergency calls and the reliability of geographical location data.

The media and telecoms company is teaming up with the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre in Wales, which is providing the drones, to create an airborne network for visitors that need mobile connectivity for assistance purposes.

Virgin said that the drone technology will allow first responders to access essential information, assess situations at speed, and “easily locate and save those who are in danger”.

“This project is a further example of how 5G technologies can provide real societal benefits for people around the UK, wherever they are,” said Kirsty Bright, director of network innovation and transformation at Virgin Media O2. “This trial could transform how emergency services operate and react to life-threatening situations, and make people feel safer while enjoying national parks.”

The company has already run a set of test flights at Llanbedr airport.

Minister for the economy of Wales Vaughan Gething said: “Connectivity is the bedrock of our digital world. It brings us all closer together and is especially important in situations concerning safety. I am delighted we are supporting this innovative project, which further demonstrates how technology can help us problem solve and improve our lives.”

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