TPG Telecom, UTS test 5G signals as flood sensors

Radio signal propagation on TPG Telecom’s 5G network will be used to gather data about floods, in a trial with the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS).

The university and the telco have created the 5G Network Sensing Lab to create the technology, which is being tested on the Parramatta River and Georges River.

The lab opened last week with a demonstration of the technology.

The prototype measures how 5G signals propagate to gather weather information like rainfall, water levels and river flows.

These are then combined with the NSW Spatial Digital Twin and analysed with AI to create a “4D visualisation” which shows how rainfall and potential flooding might affect communities and critical infrastructure.

By using existing 5G infrastructure, the sensing technique would mean flood prediction doesn’t rely only on deploying traditional sensors.

The technology is intended to complement meteorological tools that simulate how flood and rainfall may evolve over time, giving real-time input into the process.

The flood models can then be fed through to the NSW SES as the basis for public warning systems.

“Our partnership with UTS in pioneering this 5G network sensing technology underlines our commitment to innovation and our dedication to supporting initiatives that make a meaningful difference in people's lives," TPG’s CTO Giovanni Chiarelli said.

“There are limitless opportunities for network sensing technology aside from rainfall monitoring and flood protection," research leader and UTS Distinguished Professor Jay Guo added.

"They include traffic management, object and intruder detection for smart transport, collision avoidance, search and rescue, and health and sports monitoring.”

TPG Telecom and UTS hope to develop and commercialise the technology.

The NSW government is funding the Flood and Storm Intelligence Sensing project through its $45 million Smart Places Acceleration Program.