By partnering with crewed and uncrewed aircraft and ground-based vehicle OEMs and integrators, Smith Myers continues to expand its product portfolio, including ground-based ARTEMIS systems for use in mountain rescue, on water rescue or remotely operated vehicles.
Varese, Italy – 3 December 2024 -- In a remarkable rescue operation, a 66-year-old hiker from Varese, missing in the Valgrande area, was found injured but alive, thanks to Smith Myers ARTEMIS systems.
The hiker had been missing since Sunday, November 17. Despite intensive search efforts by rescue teams, he remained unlocated until the intervention of the Drago 150 helicopter from the Fire Brigade of the Lombardy Flight Department. This state of the art Leonardo helicopter is equipped with the award-winning Smith Myers ARTEMIS Mobile Phone Detection and Location System (MPDLS), which once again played a decisive role in another successful rescue for the Fire Brigade.
On the morning of November 19, favourable weather conditions allowed the deployment of the Drago 150 helicopter. Utilizing the ARTEMIS system, the helicopter was able to locate the missing hiker’s mobile phone, even in the challenging terrain of Valgrande. The system's ability to locate phones using 2G through to the latest 5G networks enabled the rescue team to locate the exact position.
The rescue teams were promptly directed to missing hiker’s location, where they found him injured but alive. He was immediately provided with medical assistance and transported to the hospital in Novara, where he is currently receiving care.
“This marks another successful rescue operation in Italy for ARTEMIS, and underscores the critical importance of advanced technology in search and rescue missions. “ explains Andrew Munro, Managing Director, Smith Myers, adding,
“Together with our Italian partners Omnia Rep, we are honoured to support the Italian Fire Brigade search and rescue teams with our ARTEMIS.”
Recently selected for several major UK, European and North American SAR and Coast Guard Programs, ARTEMIS provides a new and mission critical capability to aircrew/first responders and is deployed globally in Maritime Patrol, Border Control, Aerial Firefighting and Natural Disasters.
This most recent Italian rescue follow just days after another successful rescue of a father and son from perilous blizzard conditions in Norway.
For more information about Smith Myers and the ARTEMIS Mobile Phone Detection and Location System, please visit smithmyers.com.
About Smith Myers www.smithmyers.com
Smith Myers Communications Ltd began trading in 1987. The company specialises in designing, developing and manufacturing search and rescue (SAR) mobile phone location systems for Network Operators, Government Agencies, Law Enforcement, Military, and SAR organisations. Its innovation is Artemis, a system for SAR aircraft to turn any mobile phone into a rescue beacon. The SAR worst-case scenario is an out-of-service phone: The subscriber can’t call you, you can’t call them, and the network operator can’t help. Artemis provides a solution with a novel design that, from the air at 35 km, can find a missing person by showing their precise location on a map and providing communications by text and voice, dramatically reducing search times and adding to the crew's safety. An additional benefit is the ability to broadcast text messages from the aircraft to every responding phone in a disaster area where the local phone network is disabled. In addition to the King’s Award for Enterprise Innovation 2024, previous awards include the Royal Aeronautical Society Silver Medal; ADS Security Innovation Awards, British Engineering Excellence Award, and ICCA (International Critical Communications) Award.
About ARTEMIS https://smithmyers.com/artemis-capability/
ARTEMIS can quickly identify and accurately locate mobile telephones in the challenging airborne SAR environment, even where there is no cellular network present. ARTEMIS can detect cellular handsets at extended ranges of up to 35Km and provide unique capabilities such as mass-mapping and geofencing, which lead to more rapid positive outcomes, even in low light/IMC conditions. ARTEMIS is not a DF system but uses the actual cellular (2G/3G/4G/5G) protocols to identify, geolocate and communicate with the handsets. ARTEMIS operates stand-alone in complete isolation from the cellular network.
About Omnia Rep: https://www.omniarepsrl.it/
Omnia Rep is a leader in special mission systems, offering low-risk, cost-effective and state of the art solutions, capable of enhancing the operators’ response to critical civilian and defence missions. Omnia Rep understands and helps satisfy the demanding operational requirements of government agencies, primes and fleet operators.
READ MORE ROTOR PRO: https://justhelicopters.com/Magazine
WATCH ROTOR PRO YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://buff.ly/3Md0T3y
You can also find us on
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/rotorpro1
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/rotorpro1
Twitter - https://twitter.com/justhelicopters
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/rotorpro1