July 13, 2026
The Institute of Informatics & Telecommunications (IIT) at NCSR “Demokritos”, through its FRONT Research Group, is actively contributing to the development and real-world validation of next-generation communication technologies, demonstrating how advanced 5G, Beyond 5G and future 6G networks can address critical societal challenges.
As part of the European 6G-VERSUS project, the FRONT Research Group successfully coordinated and supported the second Greek pilot trial for wildfire detection and search-and-rescue applications at the premises of NCSR “Demokritos”. The trials were carried out on the Athens B5G/6G Experimentation Platform, the advanced research infrastructure operated by the FRONT team at IIT.
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- Dr Harilaos Koumaras, Researcher Grade B (second from left) and Scientific Coordinator of the FRONT Research Group at NCSR “Demokritos”, together with collaborating researchers (from left) Spyridon Georgoulas, Georgios Makropoulos and I. Kontizas, who coordinated the 6G-VERSUS pilot trials.
The Greek pilot explores how future communication networks, artificial intelligence, drones and autonomous robotic systems can work together in realistic civil protection scenarios. The trial focused on early wildfire detection and the support of search-and-rescue operations, bringing together high-resolution video, AI-enabled data processing, edge computing and advanced network capabilities.
In the pilot scenario, field data and live video streams are transmitted through the experimental network and processed close to the point of data generation. AI-based applications support the early identification of smoke and the detection of potential victims, while drones provide aerial situational awareness and an autonomous robotic dog can operate in areas that may be difficult or dangerous for human responders.
At the core of these activities is the Athens B5G/6G Experimentation Platform. Combining 5G Standalone network infrastructure, edge and cloud computing resources, network monitoring and automated experimentation capabilities, the platform provides a real-world environment in which researchers can integrate and evaluate advanced communication technologies and vertical applications.
Discover the Athens B5G/6G Experimentation Platform and its advanced research and experimentation capabilities:
The trials highlight IIT’s role not only in researching future networks, but also in providing the infrastructure and technical expertise required to test these technologies under realistic conditions.
“The Athens B5G/6G Experimentation Platform is much more than a telecommunications testbed. It is a living experimentation environment where networks, computing resources, artificial intelligence and vertical applications can be brought together to address real societal challenges,” said Dr Harilaos Koumaras, Researcher at IIT, Head of the FRONT Research Group and Scientific Coordinator of the 6G-VERSUS project at NCSR “Demokritos”. “Through 6G-VERSUS, we are using this infrastructure to demonstrate how next-generation technologies can contribute to faster, safer and more effective civil protection operations.”
The IIT FRONT team played a central role in the coordination and technical support of the pilot activities. Dr Harilaos Koumaras, together with FRONT researchers Spyridon Georgoulas, Georgios Makropoulos and I. Kontizas, coordinated the 6G-VERSUS pilot trials at NCSR “Demokritos”.
The pilot brought together the expertise of the Greek 6G-VERSUS partners. NCSR “Demokritos”, together with OTE, provided the end-to-end experimental 5G telecommunications infrastructure, while OTE also contributed spectrum resources and AI software for smoke detection. ICCS/i-SENSE contributed to the design and technical integration of the pilot use case, INFOLYSiS supported the development and integration of AI-enabled technological solutions, and the Hellenic Rescue Team of Attica contributed the operational perspective of first responders.
Dr Giorgos Lymperopoulos and the OTE Research Team
The second pilot trial marks a further step in the experimental validation of the Greek 6G-VERSUS use case and demonstrates the value of open research infrastructures in bridging advanced telecommunications research with real-world applications.
The activities have also attracted significant media attention in Greece, bringing the potential of 6G-enabled civil protection technologies to a wider audience. The trials and their innovative use of AI, drones and autonomous robotic systems were featured by Eleftheros Typos, Dnews and ICTplus.
Through the FRONT Research Group and the Athens B5G/6G Experimentation Platform, IIT continues to strengthen its position in European 6G research, providing an advanced experimentation environment where emerging network technologies can move beyond the laboratory and be evaluated against concrete societal and operational needs.
The 6G-VERSUS project is funded by the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme. The project brings together 34 organisations from ten European countries and uses six European experimentation platforms to explore the sustainable, economic and societal impact of future 6G technologies.