The search and rescue group "Angel" increased security with Iridium communication

2020: Application of satellite communication of Iridium

On May 21, 2020 it became known that the Helicopter search and rescue group "ANGEL" which is completely consisting of pilots-volunteers equips crews with satellite communication of Iridium, supporting the high level of security of transactions on rescue lost and providing a reliable communication of pilots with the earth.

Each departure of Angel is traced by a land team of coordinators. For providing the high level of security of rescue operations all aircrafts are without fail equipped with the power-intensive satellite Iridium trackers. They automatically transmit to the head of transaction signals with coordinates of helicopters with an accuracy of three meters and also keep in bidirectional coupling of crew with the headquarters.

"Angel" constantly improves search techniques from air. Every year the amount of the applied technologies and devices grows — the pilot-volunteer Sergey Melnikov tells. — The team of coordinators always knows where there is an aircraft at what height and with what speed it passed this or that section of the wood. It is important not only for security of a departure and the post-analysis of aviation incidents, but also for effective search. For example, if at the missing phone in the course of the conversation with our crew was discharged, it is possible to determine by a flight trajectory and connection time, where exactly there was a helicopter when the missing heard it or saw and to narrow a search square.

Also search groups of Angel actively use Iridium Go, mobile access point which allows to turn smartphones into satellite phones outside a covering of cellular networks.

The main task of pilots-volunteers of Angel — in the fastest terms to calculate square coordinates where there is subject to search and to direct on them land rescue group, after to go to the following call. For understanding, in 2019 our crews spent 182 hours (these are about 80 departures) in air and saved 32 persons. And in 6 years of our work we found 487 lost. In our work and minutes can cost life. Therefore even short messages which using satellite communication can exchange regardless of weather or other obstacles for normal cellular communication — this rescue for air search and rescue groups, shares the head of group Alexander Mikhaylov.