BSTU Student Develops Mobile Communications System for Disaster Response
The vehicle-mounted system can be deployed on site in just 30 minutes.
Anastasia Gapich, a student at Belgorod State Technological University (BSTU), has developed a mobile communications system designed for the rapid deployment of emergency networks in disaster zones. The system is intended for use when fixed telecommunications towers have been damaged or knocked out of service.
The system consists of a tethered aerostat mounted on a vehicle. It can be transported quickly to an emergency site and fully deployed within 30 minutes. Once airborne, the communications payload provides network coverage across a radius of up to 15 kilometers. The platform also includes a high-powered lighting system capable of illuminating areas up to 500 meters away.
Gapich presented the project at the Young Innovators Cup 2026, where it won first place in the Innovative UAS Project for Key Industries category. The project was developed under Russia's Priority 2030 strategic academic leadership program and the national project Youth and Children.
