Telecommunications: Using drones, SPIE contributes to the digital and environmental transitions at regional level

Saint-Ouen, 11 February 2025 – SPIE CityNetworks, a French subsidiary of SPIE, the independent European leader in multi-technical services in the areas of energy and communications, is making use of drones in its 5G infrastructure design work. Combining drones with advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence, allows SPIE CityNetworks to improve how this infrastructure is managed and increase safety at work, all while reducing its carbon footprint.

Tangible improvements in workplace safety and reduced carbon footprint

As part of its ongoing mission to innovate for the benefit of its customers, SPIE CityNetworks has gradually introduced the use of drones in its work to bring about the digital transformation of towns and regions.

The initial aim was to explore whether drones could be useful in project design work (e.g. for identifying new sites for telecommunications antennas and equipment) and in simplifying maintenance operations, particularly where these involve accessing equipment at height, usually by climbing pylons or using cherry pickers.

The SPIE CityNetworks' telecommunications teams now use drones on a daily basis and have noted three key advantages:

1. Increased safety: using drones means that many technicians have no need to work at height, instead they can now work safely from the ground.
2. Reduced environmental impact: using drones limits the use of cherry pickers and other heavy machinery, and therefore reduces the carbon footprint of each operation.
3. Greater productivity: operations are simplified and shortened, allowing employees to focus on tasks with greater added value.

SPIE CityNetworks currently employs 18 drone operators. Whether site negotiators, project designers or infrastructure maintenance technicians, these employees are trained by a specialist organisation and accompanied by experienced employees during their first flights.

Looking to the future by combining drones with artificial intelligence

SPIE CityNetworks plans to go a step further by combining artificial intelligence with the use of drones. The automated processing of images captured by drones will enable safety concerns or infrastructure maintenance needs to be identified in an instant.

At the same time, digital twin projects offering augmented reality modelling for increasingly precise and predictive network management are under development.

“We very quickly grasped the vast potential of drones for our work and we will continue to expand their use within our teams,” confirms Sébastien Rivière, Télécom Sud Operations Director at SPIE CityNetworks. “This technology allows us to drive innovation while helping our customers, telecom operators and tower companies to build a more connected and sustainable future.”