A second test campaign took place this spring in the Astroni crater near Naples, providing an opportunity to explore alternative use cases for the system, such as monitoring local flora and fauna during emergency situations. A master tethered drone oversaw additional drones tasked with charting the position of animals in the 247-hectare Astroni crater, which is a WWF-recognised nature reserve, part of the volcanic Phlegraean Fields west of Naples.

Considering the high probability of communication infrastructure being disrupted during a disaster, Pathfinder’s tethered master drone serves as a reliable and independent communication hub, enabling situational awareness beyond the visual line of sight. This independent setup ensures continuous and reliable positioning and communication even in situations where traditional infrastructure would be compromised.

“In effect the master drone serves as a 'pseudo satellite' or 'pseudolite', providing augmentation data to enhance the accuracy of satellite navigation within the test zone,” explains Marco Nisi, managing the project at Italian firm Sistematica.