Communications That Keep
Mountain Rescue Teams Connected
Peplink SpeedFusion | Starlink | OneWeb | Wavemobile 5G | Drone Video Transmission
Bonded satellite and cellular internet for MRT operations — keeping your teams connected from lone searchers on remote hillsides to mobile command posts coordinating multi-team incidents.
The Mountain Rescue Comms Problem
Mountain rescue callouts have increased 40% since 2019. Teams are asked to do more, in more challenging terrain — with communications infrastructure that hasn't kept pace.
No Mobile Coverage
The locations where callouts happen — remote hillsides, mountain passes, moorland, cliff faces — are the locations with no viable cellular coverage. The missing person can't call for help. Your team can't relay information.
Multi-Agency Coordination
Coordinating MRT, Police, NPAS helicopter, Coastguard and Ambulance across a major incident requires data sharing, live mapping and reliable voice — all of which depend on connectivity that simply isn't there.
Volunteer Resource Limits
Mountain Rescue is a volunteer service. Every minute spent searching the wrong area is resource wasted. Better data — from live tracking, drone feeds and real-time mapping — means faster, smarter decisions with the team you have.
SARcom Solutions for Mountain Rescue
Purpose-built systems for MRT operations — deployable in minutes, reliable in the conditions you actually face.
Portable Bonded Internet
Our Go-Kit and Tactical Rucksack systems combine Peplink SpeedFusion with Starlink, OneWeb and 5G — bonded together so if one connection drops, the others carry on. Deploy in under three minutes from the back of any vehicle.
Go-Kit: Nanuk 925 hardcase with Peplink bonding, Starlink Mini, dual 5G and 24h+ battery — carried by any team member
Rucksack System: Hands-free deployment for search team leaders — internet on your back, WiFi hotspot for the team
Vehicle Mount: Pepwave MAX S with integrated Starlink and 5G antennas — bonded internet the moment your incident response vehicle arrives
Drone Video Transmission
Your drone team's footage is only useful if it reaches command in real time. SARcom's bonded internet provides the backhaul to stream live HD drone video back to your incident command post — or to multi-agency partners anywhere in the country.
Live HD Streaming: Real-time video from drone to command — not clips downloaded after landing
Multi-Agency Sharing: Stream simultaneously to Police, NPAS and Ambulance commanders at different locations
Axis Camera Integration: Combine drone feeds with body-worn camera streams on a single command display
Wavemobile Airborne 5G Network
Working with Virgin Media O2, Snowdonia Aerospace and the Welsh Government, Wavemobile has trialled drone-mounted 5G small cells that create a temporary mobile network above remote terrain — bringing connectivity to the casualty, not just the command post.
Coverage on Demand: Launch a drone and create a 5G coverage bubble over the search area — anyone with a mobile can now connect
Location Data: Airborne 5G retains geographic location data from 999 calls — faster, more accurate casualty location
Innovate UK Proven: Funded by the Innovate UK Future Flight Challenge and trialled in Snowdonia national park with real MRT teams
Incident Response Vehicle Comms
Your IRV is your mobile command post. SARcom can equip it with a complete communications suite — bonded internet, voice, tracking and camera display — so your team leader arrives at the incident with a fully operational command centre.
Vehicle Mount Peplink: Always-on bonded internet with roof-mounted Starlink and 5G — connected the moment the ignition is on
Team Tracking Display: Real-time location of all search teams and vehicles on a single command dashboard
Complete Fit-Out: We can design and install the full communications fit-out to your team's specification
Proven in Snowdonia
Wavemobile's airborne 5G technology has been trialled with real Mountain Rescue teams in North Wales
The Snowdonia 5G Drone Trial
A trial in Snowdonia National Park demonstrated how a drone-mounted 5G small cell — with Starlink providing the backhaul — could create a temporary mobile network above terrain where no coverage exists. The drone operated as an airborne base station, extending coverage across the search area.
The trial showed that teams could go beyond voice calls — enabling picture sharing, video calling and GPS location data from anyone within the coverage bubble, including casualties who hadn't been located yet.
Funded by Innovate UK Future Flight Challenge
Partners: Virgin Media O2, Snowdonia Aerospace, SwiftFlight Avionics, Welsh Government
Trialled with North Wales Police Drone Unit and Mountain Rescue volunteers
Drone wingspan ~7m — capable of 4-5 hours on station, extendable to 12 hours+
What Airborne 5G Enables
Complete Your MRT Communication Setup
Every SARcom solution integrates with the others
Equip Your Mountain Rescue Team
From a portable Go-Kit for your search teams to a full incident response vehicle communications fit-out — talk to us about what your team needs.
Contact Us
Tell us about your Mountain Rescue team's communications requirements.
Call Us: 01437 76 33 33
