THE BLOG

Firecell: Ultra-precise industrial 5G geolocation for Airbus

Firecell, project leader: Based in Nice, Firecell implemented the private 5G network, localization algorithms, and software infrastructure. Its central role achieved unprecedented precision of 1 to 5 meters in a dense industrial environment.
A world first in aeronautics: At the Airbus site, the solution developed by Firecell, Orange, Miodex, and Desoutter demonstrated the ability to locate a tool within seconds, with 95% operational coverage in the tested area.
Standard and open technology: Unlike proprietary solutions or additional GPS, the GEO5G solution relies on standard and open-source 5G equipment.
A project supported by France 2030 and Airbus Développement: As a winner of the France 2030 plan, the project is backed by the DGE and Airbus Développement. Firecell establishes itself as a French industrial startup capable of uniting major players around private 5G.
Prospects and international recognition: Already involved with the European Space Agency (ESA) in the UnifiedPNT program, Firecell plans to integrate artificial intelligence and new generations of antennas to enhance precision and scale its deployments.

In a press release dated August 27, 2025, Firecell, Orange, and Miodex announced they had demonstrated the ability to locate objects with precision ranging from less than one meter to five meters using private 5G networks in an Airbus assembly plant. This level of performance has never before been achieved in environments as complex as factories, warehouses, or outdoor spaces, and is made possible thanks to standard 5G technologies.

Over several months, the project partners designed, tested, and validated a new geolocation solution based on UL-TDoA technology, a method for calculating the time of arrival of 5G signals. This solution relies exclusively on standard and open-source 5G equipment, without the need for additional GPS systems.

Real-Time Tool Tracking in the Factory: A 5G Revolution Serving Industrial Performance

In the vast Airbus production halls, where thousands of tools move between workstations every day, locating the right screwdriver at the right time can quickly become a logistical challenge.

Thanks to the tested solution, this problem is now a thing of the past. Leveraging the power of private 5G networks and cutting-edge geolocation technology, it is now possible to locate a tool with an accuracy of 1 to 5 meters, even in complex and metallic industrial environments.

Find a Tool in Seconds

An operator can now search for a tool by its identifier and instantly visualize its position on a digital map of the factory. A true industrial GPS integrated into the workshop!

Track Production in Real Time

Position data is updated every 10 to 30 seconds, enabling precise, timestamped reporting of tightening operations: number of operations, location, applied torque, etc. This makes it possible to know exactly where and when each operation was performed.

Better Management of Non-Conformities

In the event of a manufacturing defect, the 5G geolocation solution allows rapid tracing back to the tool used for the operation in question, its full history, and the teams or workstations involved. A considerable gain for quality assurance and corrective actions.

Easier Maintenance and Traceability

When a tool goes into maintenance, there is no longer any need to search blindly. The 5G geolocation solution shows whether it is in the workshop, with the maintenance team, or in metrology, thus avoiding wasted time and productivity losses.

Key Figures from Airbus Testing

Connected tools: Desoutter screwdrivers
Localization accuracy: between 1 and 5 meters, depending on antenna visibility
Refresh rate: every 10 to 30 seconds
Reliability: operational coverage of 95% of the tested area
Zoning: divided into 15 x 15-meter squares for smooth, usable mapping

A Technological Partnership Serving Industry

This use case could not have been achieved without the collaboration of several complementary industrial players:

Firecell, project leader, implemented the private 5G network, localization algorithms, and software infrastructure.
Miodex, architect of tailor-made industrial solutions, led the Airbus use case, identified field requirements, designed the real-time visualization interface, and orchestrated technical exchanges. By bridging technology and operational needs, it ensured overall project consistency.
Orange handled installation, radio planning, and network management in a complex environment.
Desoutter developed and supplied the 5G-connected industrial tools (screwdrivers) used in the tests.

A Concrete Use Case and an Open Platform for Future Projects

Airbus Développement supported the industrial startups Miodex and Firecell to carry out an open-innovation project in industrial 5G at an Airbus Atlantic site in Méaulte.

The GEO5G solution, deployed via a private 5G network, delivers precise object localization in industrial environments and real-time data flow management for total control and unmatched traceability.

Orange Innovation also contributed its expertise to help the startups successfully complete the project.

The tests, carried out during the first half of 2025, initially aimed at geolocating tools, thus optimizing the time and efficiency of assembly teams.

This initiative represents a major breakthrough in object localization and data flow management, paving the way for a new era. The promising results are generating strong interest regarding the potential of the GEO5G solution in optimizing industrial processes.

Laurent Legendre, Regional Director for Île-de-France at Airbus Développement:
“Convinced by the significant benefits of industrial 5G, we are proud to support and test on one of our sites this innovative project led by Olivier Dhotel, Co-Founder of Firecell, and Cyrille Mielczarek, CEO of Miodex.”

This technology has already attracted major players such as ESA and Airbus, as part of the UnifiedPNT initiative, where Firecell supports the integration of customer algorithms into its private 5G solution. Planned improvements include the addition of artificial intelligence modules to further enhance accuracy, compatibility with other localization algorithms, and testing with more powerful 5G antennas to cover larger areas.

This project was made possible thanks to the support of the French Directorate General for Enterprise (DGE) and the France 2030 plan, under which the GEO 5G project is a laureate. Firecell and Orange are also both members of the recently created Industrial 5G Alliance, which aims to help French industrial companies better understand the uses and deployment of private 5G networks.