Greek railway company OSE deploys drones, cameras & optical fibres to protect its infrastructure

The railway has many problems to solve, and one of them involves OSE deploying drones in an attempt to reduce incidents of material theft, which create significant issues in the operation of the railway network. According to a recent decision by the organization, the contract with a company that provides drones for safeguarding has been extended beyond the protection of the aforementioned materials to include its property as well.

According to information, the drones patrol seven areas under OSE’s responsibility, including significant organizational installations and railway lines equipped with telecommunications equipment, which are often targets of theft.

As reported by the CEO of OSE, Panagiotis Terezakis, on ypodomes.com, this is a service that started under the previous administration in late 2021 through a tender process and continues. The contracted company flies the drones at a height of 3,000 feet and has special flight permits from the Civil Aviation Authority.

An important feature of these specific drones that makes them a significant ally of OSE in combating theft and vandalism is their capability for nighttime visual monitoring, operated by specialized pilots.

It seems that OSE is considering expanding their use, especially in areas where an installation or a line is deemed potentially dangerous for theft. Drones have been added along with other surveillance systems, such as patrols and the installation of cameras in sensitive areas, to provide a more comprehensive umbrella coverage of the network and facilities.

The practice of using drones is not a Greek innovation. It has already been implemented in other European networks facing similar problems, resulting in corresponding reductions. In our country, it is also employed by other major companies for security reasons, such as DEI (Public Power Corporation), EYDAP (Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company), etc., and the system has been adopted with similar results.

In its effort to safeguard its property and reduce incidents of theft and other events, OSE has taken additional measures such as concrete encasing of cables and replacing cables with optical fibre. The optical fibre, in fact, is equipped with a system that electronically detects the exact point of any cutting.

This means, as Mr Terezakis points out, that as soon as an event occurs, there is an immediate notification from the optical fibre software regarding the location of the incident, enabling faster restoration than in the past.

The Greek railway’s problems due to cable thefts and other incidents are among the phenomena that cause significant disruptions to route execution. The deployment of technology through means such as drones, cameras, and optical fibers appears to be a practice aimed at improving services and safeguarding the organization’s property.

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