Autonomously driving minibusses, real-time transmission of ultrasound data from the ambulance to the hospital, or automated monitoring of the airport fence by robot dog—these and many other innovations are made possible by 5G technology. The northern region of Leipzig, with its numerous companies, is to be developed into a 5G model region. The Trimodal 5G Pioneer Region Leipzig North Region (Tri5G) project, launched a few months ago under the leadership of the University of Leipzig, aims to conceptualize the application areas of 5G technologies mainly in the automotive industry, expressand value-added logistics, and local public transport in the vicinity of Leipzig Airport. This week, the consortium of the research project launched last December met. On the premises of the DHL hub in Leipzig, the project participants presented innovative devices and vehicles whose use with 5G technology will be investigated over the next three years.

These vehicles will be used to research 5G deployment in the areas of “Connected Driving,” “Automated Drones,” and “Tracking, Monitoring, Internet of Things & Maintenance.”

“In the Tri5G model region of Leipzig North, which is characterized by logistics traffic and automobile production, a 5G research and testing network is to be created. With this, we want to test professional industrial as well as governmental 5G communication services in a public mobile radio infrastructure and under real conditions,” says project leader Prof. Dr. Bogdan Franczyk from the Institute of Information Systems at the University of Leipzig. The Tri5G consortium is comprised of 11 core partners from business, public administration, and academia. Together, they plan to test 14 applications requiring 5G technologies by the end of 2024. These have been divided into the categories “Connected Driving,” “Automated Drones,” and “Tracking, Monitoring, IoT & Maintenance.”

In connected driving, the focus is on automating and remotely controlling driving functions and networking vehicles with a central infrastructure via 5G. For example, autonomous driving on the airport apron will be tested for clearing snow on the runways (using platooning) and testing autonomous parking functions in the airport parking garage.

The researchers and practice partners also want to find out whether drones are suitable for data collection and automated analysis. The focus is AI-supported real-time data processing of images from drone overflights for internal hangar inspections of aircraft for damage to the outer skin.

In the category “Tracking, Monitoring, IoT & Maintenance,” the extent to which the 5G mobile communications standard is suitable for outdoor real-time position detection is being investigated. Areas of application include, for example, the recording of loaded means of transport on the airport apron to plan the loading and unloading of air freight containers more efficiently or data transmission from rescue vehicles for telemedical assessment.

The first work packages have already been launched. In addition, the Europe-wide tender for a 5G network infrastructure is expected from July 2022, which will form the basis for testing the use cases.

“Trimodal” stands for both the road, rail, and air transport modes investigated in the project and the potential user groups of the technology to be researched from science, industry, and public administration. The companies represented in the consortium, such as BMW, DHL Express, and Leipzig-Halle Airport, want to work together to network and use 5G technology in different application areas. Small and medium-sized enterprises, large corporations, research institutions, and public administration are involved in Tri5G. In addition to the consortium leader, the Institute for Information Systems, these include the Innovation Center Computer Assisted Surgery (ICCAS) at the University of Leipzig. Other partners include the TU Dresden, the University of Applied Sciences (HTWK), the Office for Economic Development of the City of Leipzig, the DHL Drehkreuz Leipzig, the L Group, the BMW Group Werk Leipzig, Kopernikus Automotive GmbH, Leipzig-Halle Airport, and AIN GmbH. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Digital Affairs and Transport.

• www.uni-leipzig.de