Private 5G network, drones, and a digital twin will help emergency services assess threats faster and make informed decisions. The "Świetlik" (Skylight) system will be developed jointly by researchers from our Faculty, the Military University of Technology, and specialists from Innergo Systems. The project is led by Prof. Grzegorz Kołaczek from the Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering.

During floods, fires, or failures of critical infrastructure, emergency services require reliable communication and possibly comprehensive knowledge of the situation. "Świetlik" is designed to gather information from multiple sources, analyse it, and transmit it in real time to command centres.

The project – Integrated Mission-Critical 5G Communication System and Digital Twin as Support in Crisis Management Operations – is carried out by a consortium formed by Innergo Systems (the project leader), our Faculty, and the Military University of Technology.

Digital image of the scene

The system will be based on a private 5G network operating in the n77 band. The solution will also include edge computing, which involves analysing information possibly close to where it is generated, as well as a digital twin that will provide a virtual representation of the area covered by the rescue operation.

Researchers from Wrocław University of Science and Technology are responsible for perception and data fusion algorithms as well as for developing the digital twin.

“The entire system is designed to collect data from drones, ground vehicles, sensor networks, and OT/SCADA systems, combine them into a continuously updated digital situational image, and deliver it in real time to crisis management teams,” says Prof. Grzegorz Kołaczek from the Department of Computer Science and Systems Engineering.

This image is intended to facilitate risk assessment, identify areas requiring urgent intervention, and make decisions regarding further actions.

Recognize and trace the same object

In the first stage of the project, researchers will analyse the requirements of the services and scenarios in which the system will be used. In the next stage, they will develop methods for the acquisition and analysis of multimodal data, that is of information from various types of devices.

The algorithms are meant to detect, recognize, and track dynamic objects – people, vehicles, and animals – visible in recordings from cameras mounted on drones and ground vehicles. The system will also monitor elements of critical infrastructure.

“The most difficult thing is to build a complete and reliable picture of the situation from data that are by nature incomplete and fragmentary. Drones observe the area during flyovers, and not from stationary positions. The same person or vehicle may sometimes appear in the field of view, and sometimes disappear, and at the same time it can be recorded by several machines at once,” explains Prof. Grzegorz Kołaczek. “The system must recognize individual instances of objects, not just classes, track them across frames, and determine whether an object seen by three different drones is the same object, even in limited visibility, variable weather, and with possible interference,” he adds.

Data originating from various sources will be synchronized in time and space. As a result, information from cameras, sensors, and control systems is supposed to add up to a coherent model of the situation, even if some observations are incomplete or temporarily unavailable.

Priority to the most important data

Ensuring that the information is up to date remains another challenge. A digital twin will be useful only if it adequately reflects changes occurring at the site of the event. However, mobile platforms have limited computational power, and the bandwidth may not be sufficient to transmit all data simultaneously.

Therefore, the researchers will develop mechanisms for reducing data streams and setting transmission priorities. The system is designed to recognize which information is at a particular time of priority to action coordinators.

“In our approach, the application layer actively influences the behaviour of the communication infrastructure and prioritizes what and when to send,” explains Prof. Grzegorz Kołaczek.

The Wrocław Tech researchers will also develop tools supporting crisis management teams. The entire integrated system will then be tested under near-real conditions.

Safe and reliable communication

Each of the consortium partners is responsible for a different part of the solution. Innergo Systems will build a mobile, private 5G network along with the infrastructure enabling its autonomous operation. The network is expected to ensure high-speed data transmission and interference-resistant communication.

Specialists from the Military University of Technology will develop the Mission-Critical Management Layer. It will be responsible for safe and reliable data exchange even in the event of infrastructure failure, limited connectivity, or a cyber attack.

In the final stage, “Świetlik” will undergo tests both in a controlled environment and under conditions similar to real rescue operations.

The project started in early August 2026 and will continue until the end of March 2029. Its total value is close to 22.5 million PLN, with over 5.2 million PLN allocated to Wrocław University of Science and Technology.

The project is carried out under the European Funds for Modern Economy 2021-2027 program. It received funding under the SMART Path, which supports innovative research and development projects conducted jointly by businesses and research units.