Smith Myers’ Artemis location system used in ARCSAR Livex 2022


The RNoAF is fitting the Artemis location and detection system to all of their SAR Queens. Photo Smith Myers

The recent ARCSAR Livex 2022 saw the first use of the Smith Myers Artemis mobile phone detection and location system during a large-scale exercise with multiple phones. It helped locate the M/S Quest following a simulated ship fire near Isfjorden, Svalbard, in northern Norway — around 600 miles from the North Pole. 

“The Artemis hardware package and software is optimized for the SAR [search-and-rescue] role by using auto-triangulation algorithm and GPS geolocation,” explained Peter Myers, joint managing director of Smith Myers.

During the early stages of a SAR flight, Artemis is set to look for any mobile phone signals in a defined search pattern, known as “geo-fencing.” As is the case in any disaster response situation, the navigator would not have the “identities” of the mobile phones they were looking for. 

“Once the operator aboard the AW101 [the Royal Norwegian Air Force aircraft equipped with Artemis during the exercise] has located the signals, which totalled around 60 aboard the M/S Quest, they can then target a specific mobile phone — mine was one,” said Myers.

“This can be accomplished by simply changing the mode on the Artemis equipment and putting in the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) — the data that is retained on your SIM card. There’s no indication to say this is being done on your phone, but for the operator in the AW101, the GPS location of where this mobile is located is revealed to him.”

Artemis is designed to accurately locate mobile telephones in the airborne SAR environment using just two small antennas. Photo Smith Myers

It took just 30 minutes from the helicopter being alerted, to it targeting individual mobile phones aboard the M/S Quest.

“It was a difficult environment for the navigator to complete this task, as many mobiles were splitting between ‘in coverage’ — meaning they were looking at the local network rather than the one aboard the AW101,” said Myers.

“In an ideal situation, it’s better when there’s no coverage [signal] from land networks. The way around this is for the [aircraft]’s network to be ‘more attractive’ to the mobile so it connects, which was accomplished by the helicopter’s navigator.”

Morten Skaar, the navigator and Artemis operator on the AW101 during the exercise, said the system “performed as advertised” for the role. “It has proven its capability in multiple real search scenarios since implementation, and has surely made a difference to our SAR operations.”

The significant increase in capability has resulted in the Artemis system being used daily by the AW101s of RNoAF, Myers was told at the conclusion of the exercise.     

ARCSAR (Arctic and North Atlantic Security and Emergency Preparedness Network) is a European Union project comprising 20 partners from 12 countries. The focus of the organization is to enhance safety and collaboration between Arctic and North Atlantic stakeholders of all types, with the goal of improving safety for those working and visiting the region.

Collaborative exercises between partners include table-top scenarios to full-scale live simulations, of which ARCSAR Livex is the highlight.

“The ARCSAR Livex is a unique opportunity for SAR operators, the expedition cruise industry, and technology developers to train together, which will ultimately result in a more effective cooperation during SAR incidents,” said Emmi Ikonen, project manager at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center North Norway and ARCSAR project manager. |The goal of the exercise is also to enhance trust by learning from each other.”

  
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