Draganfly Inc., an award-winning developer of advanced drone solutions and systems, has announced the deployment of its drones integrated with Smith Myers’ ARTEMIS Mobile Phone Detection & Location Systems (MPDLS) to support search and rescue operations.
Search and Rescue Sweden, one of Europe’s leading SAR organizations, will utilize Draganfly UAS platforms equipped with the Smith Myers ARTEMIS system—purpose-built for the search and rescue market—to deliver cost-effective, high-performance aerial support for missing-person searches, wilderness rescues, law enforcement assistance, and other critical public safety missions.
The ARTEMIS MPDLS solution offers a detection range of up to 35 kilometers and supports as many as 48 cellular bands. Its modular design and scalable form factors enable seamless integration across Draganfly’s Apex and Commander 3XL multi-mission UAS platforms, allowing rapid deployment of ARTEMIS payloads weighing between 0.52 kg and 10 kg. The Smith Myers payloads selected by SAR Sweden are their preferred sensors, meeting European SAR standards for reliability, detection range, and location accuracy.
Integrating Smith Myers payloads across multiple Draganfly platforms provides operational flexibility—using lightweight, highly mobile Apex drones with smaller payloads for rapid response and reconnaissance, and Commander 3XL drones with heavier payloads for extended-duration missions requiring enhanced sensor capability and higher payload capacity.
In recent weeks, joint teams from Draganfly, Smith Myers, and SAR Sweden conducted collaborative flight testing and validation at Draganfly’s flight facility. These activities confirmed the performance and effectiveness of the integrated solution.
- Mechanical and software integration of ARTEMIS payloads on both APEX and Commander 3XL airframes.
- Stable flight performance with the ARTEMIS T-U on 3XL in harsh weather conditions.
- End-to-end SAR mission workflows, including detection, localization, mapping, data relay, and ground-team communication coordination
Testing confirmed that the integrated Draganfly–Smith Myers solution meets or exceeds operational requirements for SAR missions in demanding environments.
“After our joint testing with Draganfly and Smith Myers, we are confident these systems will strengthen how we respond to missing-person and wilderness rescue operations across Sweden. The performance, particularly in challenging weather, exceeded expectations, and the flexibility offered by multiple payload and drone configurations will be a major asset to our teams,” said Richard Öesterlindh, Head of Development, SAR Sweden.
Recent regulatory changes in Sweden and other European countries have restricted the use of certain aerial platforms for public safety operations. In response, SAR Sweden required a fully compliant, highly reliable UAV solution capable of delivering the performance, range, and sensor capabilities needed for national search-and-rescue missions.
Through this partnership, SAR Sweden gains a flexible and scalable aerial capability based on Draganfly’s APEX and Commander 3XL platforms, integrated with Smith Myers’ SAR payloads. Together, these systems act as a force multiplier for first responders by enabling faster deployment, broader search coverage, improved detection accuracy, and substantially lower mission costs compared with conventional helicopter-based operations.
In addition, Smith Myers payloads will be supported across Draganfly’s entire UAV platform portfolio, broadening access for police, military, fire services, and emergency response agencies seeking a proven, mission-ready solution adaptable to a wide range of operational environments.
“Completing the full integration of ARTEMIS MPDLS across several Draganfly UAS platforms demonstrates how quickly we can deliver robust, operational capability into the uncrewed space. Starting with SAR missions alongside SAR Sweden, these systems are now positioned to support a wide range of demanding operational roles. It’s an important milestone for both companies and for the customers we serve,” said Andrew Munro, Managing Director of Smith Myers. “We are proud to join forces with SAR Sweden and Smith Myers to deliver next-generation aerial SAR capabilities. Our UAV platforms, combined with the Smith Myers payload architecture, offer exceptional flexibility and mission readiness. This collaboration reinforces Draganfly’s commitment to supporting organizations dedicated to saving lives,” said Cameron Chell, CEO, Draganfly.