The Port of Antwerp, in cooperation with DroneMatrix, has deployed its first self-flying drone for inspection and control operations.

The drone departs from a fixed operating base, which includes an intelligent docking & charging station, near the Kieldrecht Lock and follows a fixed route within the port.

The drone can also fly on demand, e.g., in emergencies where an overview of the situation is critical.

The port authority will test the drone in various 'live feed' use cases, such as infrastructure inspection, surveillance and monitoring, incident management, berth management, and oil spill or drift waste detection.

The plan is to have an operational network of autonomous drones ready to be deployed in 2022 to aid the Harbour Safety & Security (HSS) department in its work.

Photo: DroneMatrix