Operators of critical infrastructure and public authorities need to know exactly how a system works, how data is processed, and how updates are managed. Full control over development and production gives us the ability to guarantee system integrity, long-term support, and compliance with European safety and data protection standards. In the end, this control is not a matter of convenience—it is a prerequisite for dependable, mission-critical performance.

By: Nermin Kabahija; E-mail: editorial@asadria.com

a&s Adria: Mr. Fiessler, to begin with, could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? What is your professional background and the career path that led you to IQ Technologies for Earth and Space?

Fiessler: My name is Thomas Fiessler and I am responsible for global sales of our leading early wildfire detection system IQ FireWatch at IQ Technologies for Earth and Space GmbH for many years now. My professional background is rooted in international technology sales and business development, with a strong focus on safety-critical solutions. I work closely with public authorities, with selected international distribution partners and industrial customers to translate complex detection technologies into reliable, operational systems.

Wildfires pose an increasing risk to critical infrastructure such as power grids, transport corridors, and industrial sites. At IQ Technologies, my role is to develop customer-specific early detection concepts that enable fast situational awareness, protect critical assets, and integrate seamlessly into existing security and command environments.

a&s Adria: The company has a long tradition and a strong technical heritage. How would you briefly present IQ Technologies for Earth and Space and the key areas in which you operate today?

Fiessler: IQ Technologies for Earth and Space GmbH, formerly known as IQ wireless GmbH, is headquartered in Berlin and was founded in 1999. With a team of over 50 highly specialized employees, the company continuously develops, manufactures, and tests advanced hardware and software solutions at its Berlin headquarters. This end-to-end approach allows us to respond flexibly to customer requirements while maintaining exceptionally high quality standards.

Today, the company operates in two distinct business divisions: IQ FireWatch and IQ spacecom. IQ spacecom focuses on high-performance radio communication solutions for small satellites, including CubeSats. These systems provide efficient broadband data communication for scientific missions, Earth observation, remote sensing, and communication applications. Our hardware platforms are qualified for long-term operation in Low Earth Orbit and can be rapidly adapted to customer-specific mission requirements.

IQ FireWatch, on the other hand, provides the globally leading system for early wildfire detection. Based on multispectral optical sensors and highly sophisticated software, the system detects smoke and smoke-like phenomena in real time over large areas. Originally developed by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), IQ FireWatch has become a benchmark for reliable, automated wildfire detection worldwide.

a&s Adria: Your company develops and produces both software and hardware in Germany, which is relatively rare in today’s global economy. How important is it to have full control over development and production processes, especially when it comes to critical safety systems?

Fiessler: For safety-critical systems, such as early wildfire detection, full control over hardware and software development is absolutely essential. By developing both hardware and software in-house, we ensure consistent quality standards, cybersecurity by design, and full traceability across the entire system lifecycle. This allows us to react quickly to new operational requirements, regulatory changes, or emerging threat scenarios without dependency on external suppliers or opaque development chains.

Equally important is trust. Operators of critical infrastructure and public authorities need to know exactly how a system works, how data is processed, and how updates are managed. Full control over development and production gives us the ability to guarantee system integrity, long-term support, and compliance with European safety and data protection standards. In the end, this control is not a matter of convenience—it is a prerequisite for dependable, mission-critical performance.

This understanding dates back to the very origins of IQ FireWatch. In the 1990s, the German Aerospace Center evaluated satellite-based approaches for wildfire detection and concluded that they were unsuitable for time-critical early detection. Instead, optical sensors and detection software originally developed for space missions—such as imaging gas clouds during ESA’s Rosetta mission—proved far more effective when adapted for ground-based use. This marked the birth of what later became IQ FireWatch.

IQ FireWatch was subsequently developed as a dedicated solution to address the real-world challenge of detecting fires as early and reliably as possible. A good example of why this matters can be found in Germany’s State of Brandenburg, which experiences the highest number of wildfires nationwide due to its sandy soils, low rainfall, and large pine forest areas. These demanding environmental conditions made it clear early on that existing, generic technologies would not be sufficient. What was required was a purpose-built system, developed from the ground up for continuous, time-critical operation.

In its earliest form, IQ FireWatch relied on a high-resolution monochrome sensor capable of detecting smoke plumes at very long distances. This alone already represented a major technological leap compared to manual lookout towers. However, continuous development quickly became a core principle. A near-infrared (NIR) sensor was added to enable reliable smoke detection during nighttime, significantly extending the system’s operational availability. In 2017, a third sensor for high-quality color imaging was integrated, allowing even better differentiation between real smoke and visually similar phenomena such as clouds, fog, or dust.

Generational Development of Sensors
a&s Adria: Which technologies does IQ FireWatch rely on today?

Fiessler: Today, IQ FireWatch is in its seventh hardware generation. The combination of monochrome, color, and near-infrared sensors—optionally complemented by a thermal infrared sensor—creates a multispectral system that delivers highly precise detection over large distances. Equally important is the software evolution. From the outset, the system relied on feature-based algorithms that were continuously refined over many years of operational use. In 2021, after extensive testing phases, a new generation of smoke detection software was introduced. It combines the well-proven feature-based algorithms with artificial intelligence, resulting in an exceptional detection rate while keeping false alarms to a minimum.

This long-term, generation-by-generation development process is only possible because all core competencies remain within the company. It is the reason why IQ FireWatch has maintained an exceptionally high quality standard for more than 25 years and why customers worldwide rely on the system for the protection of people, nature and property.

a&s Adria: Your portfolio is particularly marked by two divisions — IQ FireWatch and IQ Spacecom. Could you explain how such different but complementary technologies related to the safety of Earth and space came to be developed?

Fiessler: The company originally emerged from radio communication technology, and from this foundation two distinct business models evolved independently over time. While the application areas differ significantly—Earth-based safety systems on one side and satellite communications on the other—both divisions operate in highly specialized, technology-driven markets where reliability and performance are paramount.

Our location in Berlin-Adlershof, one of Germany’s most important science and technology hubs, has played a key role in this development. The close proximity to research institutions and high-tech companies has fostered innovation and created strong technological synergies. Many engineering principles—such as system robustness, signal processing, and qualification standards—apply equally to space and terrestrial systems.

a&s Adria: IQ FireWatch has become a globally recognized early fire-detection technology. You are actually pioneers in this field. Could you describe how your optical, multispectral system works and what makes it more reliable than other approaches, including AI cameras, drones, or satellite monitoring?

Fiessler: That is true. IQ FireWatch is a ground-based, multispectral optical detection system designed for continuous, automated monitoring of large areas. Each sensor unit is mounted on existing structures, such as radio masts or lookout towers. The installed unit performs a full, 360-degree rotation every four to six minutes, capturing images at fixed positions.

These images are processed in real time by the aforementioned advanced software. Each sensor unit can monitor a radius of up to 20 kilometers under all weather conditions, and in clear summer conditions even significantly beyond that. When smoke is detected, an alert is transmitted to the control center, where trained operators verify the event before initiating an alarm to the fire brigades.

What makes IQ FireWatch particularly reliable is the long-term optimization of both hardware and software and their well proven interplay. Unlike off-the-shelf camera systems, our sensors are specifically designed for smoke detection and have been refined over seven hardware generations. While new technologies may be valuable additions, they require years of operational experience before reaching the reliability needed for safety-critical deployment.

Satellite-based systems, for example, can deliver valuable data for fire analysis, monitoring, and forecasting. However, due to their orbit, sensor resolution, and the resulting data processing delays, they are inherently unsuited for time-critical early detection. Satellites and drones are ultimately only carrier platforms, thus the effectiveness of detection always depends on the sensor technology used. Thanks to our own expertise in satellite communications, we can realistically assess what is technically feasible in this field.

Gas sensors can only cover very small areas and must therefore be deployed in large numbers. In addition, alarms triggered by gas sensors cannot be visually verified, which can lead to unnecessary emergency responses. Drones and aircraft serve as mobile, reactive assets. They can provide valuable additional information and assist in situational assessment, but they do not replace a permanent monitoring platform.

For these reasons, ground-based optical systems offer the best price-performance ratio in early wildfire detection. Complementary technologies can add value during or after a fire—for example in damage assessment, post-fire monitoring, or redundant surveillance of particularly critical sites—but they cannot replace a continuously operating, automated early detection system. It is important to add that cost-effectiveness in forest fire prevention does not result from low acquisition costs, but from precise detection, long lifespan and moderate follow-up costs. Technologies with low detection frequencies or high error rates lead to delayed fire detection and thus to damage that far exceeds the initial savings.

Lastly and most importantly: Early wildfire detection systems must meet stringent requirements. They must continuously monitor predefined areas for wildfires, detect fires within 15 minutes, enable immediate alarm verification, and send quick, informative, error-free alerts. Currently, only terrestrial optical smoke sensors, such as IQ FireWatch, fulfill these requirements.

a&s Adria: Your equipment — such as the XLink SDR platform, patch antennas, and the GbE space-switch — is intended for small satellites, including CubeSat configurations. Can you explain how the concept of developing such a compact, “space-qualified, low-SWaP” communication system at IQ Spacecom emerged, and why this approach is essential for modern small satellites and the New Space industry?

Fiessler: The New Space industry has fundamentally changed satellite design. Missions today demand compact, lightweight, and energy-efficient systems without compromising reliability. IQ spacecom responded early to this trend by developing space-qualified communication platforms that minimize size, weight, and power consumption while maintaining high performance and flexibility.

Our Software Defined Radio (SDR) platforms, antennas, and GbE space switch were designed from the outset to support modularity and adaptability. This allows customers to tailor communication systems precisely to their mission profiles, whether for Earth observation, scientific experiments, or IoT applications in orbit.

a&s Adria: Also, what type of power supply does IQ FireWatch use, given that installations are often located in uninhabited or remote areas?

Fiessler: IQ FireWatch systems are typically powered by grid electricity. However, for remote or inaccessible locations, autonomous, solar-powered solutions are also available and have proven reliable in long-term operation. The system is designed to be highly energy-efficient, ensuring very low power consumption.

a&s Adria: In what ways does your experience in space and radio technologies influence the development of your terrestrial systems, particularly in terms of safety, reliability, and large-area coverage?

Fiessler: The quality standards in space technology are extremely high. Satellites must be tested exhaustively because failures are irreversible and costly. This mindset directly benefits IQ FireWatch. The same rigor in testing, qualification, and system design ensures exceptional reliability and long service life for our terrestrial systems.

Space Technology Hall of Fame

a&s Adria: Could you share more information with our readers about your research processes and your cooperation with institutions such as the German Aerospace Center (DLR)? You have also been included in NASA’s “Hall of Fame.”

Fiessler: As previously mentioned, the IQ FireWatch technology originated from the German Aerospace Center (DLR). We have valued our cooperation with them and many other research institutions ever since.

What marked another milestone in our history was the year 2012, when our IQ FireWatch technology was inducted into the U.S. Space Technology Hall of Fame by the Space Foundation, which works closely with NASA, ESA, and other leading space organizations. It was the first non-American technology to receive this recognition, highlighting its significance as an outstanding example of space technology improving life on Earth. That made us particularly proud.

a&s Adria: You emphasize the component of sustainability and environmental protection in your work. How does your technology contribute to environmental safety and climate resilience, especially in the context of increasing wildfires across Europe and worldwide?

Fiessler: Effective wildfire management is based on three closely interlinked pillars: prevention, early detection, and rapid suppression. All three are essential, and none can fully compensate for the absence of the others. Once a fire starts, time is the most critical resource. Fires that are detected and addressed in their very early phases can often be extinguished with minimal effort, preventing large-scale destruction. Rapid, precise alerts allow emergency services to respond faster, deploy resources more efficiently, and significantly reduce risks for firefighters. In the context of climate change and increasing wildfire frequency worldwide, this integrated approach is essential to protect people, nature and property.

a&s Adria: Can you present some of the case studies in which you used your fire alarm technology?

Fiessler: IQ FireWatch has been deployed on four continents. Installations range from Patagonia in southern Chile to large-scale monitoring projects in Argentina and Colombia, where parts of the Amazon rainforest are safeguarded. In the United States, our systems operate in California, e.g. in Napa Valley. In Europe, we protect the UNESCO World Heritage region of Sintra in Portugal, as well as sites in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Lithuania, just to name some examples. In Central Asia, our systems function reliably in Kazakhstan under extreme temperatures ranging from -40°C to +40°C. In addition to these global examples, we have 200 installations in eight German federal states.

a&s Adria: Finally, could you tell us what we can expect in the future — what innovations or evolutions do you plan in the fields of satellite communications, optical sensors, and early fire detection?

Fiessler: We continuously refine our detection algorithms and sensor technology to further improve performance across diverse terrains. While IQ FireWatch was originally developed for large forest areas, the demand is growing for protecting critical infrastructure such as railways, ports, and industrial facilities. We are adapting our technology accordingly, simplifying the system and expanding application areas, always with the same focus on reliability, safety, and long-term sustainability.

The development of AI-focused data centers over the last few years has been a key factor in our success. Our work spans all elements necessary to keep a data center neat, organized, and fully connected. The rapid growth in bandwidth demands for AI has driven many fiber installations and the evolution of fiber connectivity. Currently, our main focus is on fiber and power solutions to meet these evolving needs.

By: Damir Muharemovic; E-mail: editorial@asadria.com

a&s Adria: Mr. Holzhammer, can you please present yourself for a start? How did you end up in a network company?
Holzhammer: I have been with Panduit in this role as the head of the EMEA commercial organization of Panduit for pretty much exactly a year now. So, still wet and green behind the ears, still learning the ropes of how the company operates and the markets we are operating in. I have a high-tech background, with experience as a regional sales or commercial leader, in a career that spans pretty much 30 years now. I started my career in electronic test and measurement, mainly centered around the wireless communication network, mobile, and satellite communication. Then moved on to another testing measurement company that was more centered around the wire line type of networks. Stayed in infrastructure or moved over to the infrastructure side then later on, still more on the wireless networks front, antennas, cables and so on. And then eventually, ended up in industrial automation communications. That was the journey before I joined Panduit and then ventured into communications infrastructure again, but more on the networking side of things.

a&s Adria: So, your current role—what does it actually involve?

Holzhammer: Well, my role is to lead the commercial organization, which covers everything from the front end to the back end, including marketing, sales operations, finance, and some other operational areas. I work closely with all other functions within EMEA. Since we’re an American company, we operate in a matrix setup, but of course there’s also interaction with manufacturing and logistics. Essentially, my job is to orchestrate the entire ecosystem to address the markets, satisfy our customers, attract new ones, and deliver the best possible products and solutions from our portfolio.

a&s Adria: Looking at the evolution of networking and industrial infrastructure, where is Panduit placing its emphasis today? Which sectors and technologies are currently driving the company’s growth?”

Holzhammer: Panduit has 70 years of history in mechanical and physical infrastructure equipment—equipment that helps install, protect, and maintain physical infrastructure on the electrical industrial side, as well as in data communications, whether in enterprise environments or data centers.

In recent years, data centers have been the main driver behind the company’s growth. You could say that in a data center environment, we handle everything except the active equipment: from cabinets to cable management, connectivity within the cabinets, and even cooperating with cooling companies to provide a full one-stop solution. The development of AI-focused data centers over the last few years has been a key factor in our success.

Our work spans all elements necessary to keep a data center neat, organized, and fully connected. The rapid growth in bandwidth demands for AI has driven many fiber installations and the evolution of fiber connectivity—8, 12, 16 fibers, and so on. Currently, our main focus is on fiber and power solutions to meet these evolving needs.

We’ve also seen tremendous expansion in industrial and, particularly, electrical environments, as electricity is becoming increasingly critical for a wide range of applications. You just have to look at the energy transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable, renewable energy systems. Many of these installations require robust solutions, and that has been another key driver, especially in Europe, where we lead in these applications, but also in the US.

There’s also a connection between data centers and the electrical side of the business, because power-hungry applications—servers, GPUs, and AI racks—consume massive amounts of energy. In some cases, a single rack can draw up to one megawatt of power, which requires significant upgrades on the gray space side. Here, Panduit provides innovative solutions to help data center providers and hyperscalers achieve quick, easy, and reliable installations.

So, to sum up, data centers and electrical applications are the two main drivers for us. We are also active in other fields, such as enterprise networks and smart buildings, but now we are increasingly focusing on enterprise AI applications. Panduit is a premium player, and we are not competing in tier-two or tier-three markets.

a&s Adria: What about the markets, which one are currently driving Panduit’s growth the most?

Holzhammer: At the moment, the U.S. is mainly driven by the major tech companies—the “seven sisters” of high tech, like Microsoft, Oracle, Google, Meta, Amazon, and AWS. All of them are our customers.

We’re also entering other segments. Pharmaceuticals is one area, and banking is a big focus for us—always with a touch of data center or enterprise connectivity. Essentially, we operate wherever quality and reliability matter, particularly in high-density data center markets. One banking customer recently told us, “We only work with the top three players in this industry, and Panduit is one of them.” I think that says it all.

We’re also expanding into industrial communications, which is becoming increasingly networked and integrated. With the OT-IT convergence, there’s a spillover from both sides, and that’s an area where we can play a role. In these harsh environments, you need reliable, protected connections and electricity—and that’s exactly where Panduit delivers.

a&s Adria: The European market?

Holzhammer: Our biggest challenge is also our opportunity. The evolving data center and electrification markets offer many possibilities, but focus is key. In Western Europe, our main focus is on the UK and Germany. In Spain, we concentrate on electrical infrastructure for solar and wind farms. The Nordics are becoming increasingly important for data centers, thanks to green energy availability, especially in Norway and Finland. In Eastern Europe, we see opportunities in Poland, the Czech Republic, and other areas covered by EGAL. Individually, these markets may be small, but together they are significant.

a&s Adria: What about the Middle East?

Holzhammer: Thank you for the question. For us in the EMEA region—the Middle East is one of our key growth markets, probably with the highest growth potential. This is not only because many of these countries have a higher average GDP, but also because significant investments are going into infrastructure, especially data centers.

We have an established footprint in the UAE, with a setup in Dubai and a team that we continue to invest in. We are also building a customer briefing center in Dubai, which is underway as we speak. In the UAE, we are well-covered, holding a significant market share. We have strong relationships with end customers, system integrators, and local partners, creating an ecosystem that we have a firm handle on. Of course, there is always room for growth, but the current setup is stable, and the market continues to expand. Our goal is to replicate this model in Saudi Arabia, which represents an even larger market than the UAE. We’re investing in that country, building up an organization there, and focusing on people and partnerships. We also have an office in Qatar.

a&s Adria: The Stargate project, which everyone is talking about right now, involves Oracle, G42, and other companies joining forces to build a massive data center hub. Could you tell us more about it?

Holzhammer: Yes, the Stargate project in Abu Dhabi is an enormous initiative. In its final stage, the data center hub is expected to consume around two and a half to three gigawatts of power. It essentially replicates a similar installation in the U.S., in Texas, and there’s already another large data center that has been implemented as well.

Several major high-tech players are investing heavily in the project, including Microsoft, Oracle, and Amazon. Panduit is also involved in the Stargate project, with established connections and an active role in the implementation.

It’s a highly complex project, involving multiple existing customers and a range of contributions—from system integration and hardware to software and operations.

Besides data centers and electrical infrastructure, we are involved in hospitals and hospitality, working on large projects in the health sector as well as in hotels and resorts. Other drivers include major sporting events, like the upcoming World Cup in Saudi Arabia, as well as the Olympics and Asian Games. There is a strong push to develop infrastructure for stadiums and related facilities, all aligned with the Saudi 2030 vision. It’s truly impressive—these projects are expected to be even bigger than what has been built in Dubai over the years, or in Qatar.

a&s Adria: Could you highlight the latest trends and technological solutions in data center infrastructure, and tell us about Panduit’s latest innovations in power distribution?

Holzhammer: Certainly. The industry focus today is on energy efficiency along with power distribution in high-demand environments, currently reaching up to 600 kW per cabinet, and the need to redefine infrastructure in networking and industrial applications. Key trends we see include edge computing, intelligent Power Distribution Units (iPDUs), and containerized data centers.

For instance, Panduit’s new EL2P iPDU (Elevate to Power) simplifies installation while providing precise energy metering (±0.5%), 4-in-1 outlets, hot-swappable modules, dual 1Gb Ethernet with daisy-chain capability, high-temperature support up to 60°C, and advanced cybersecurity features. It also integrates with Cisco Nexus Dashboard for energy insights without additional hardware. This iPDU will also have an EL2S version and a higher-capacity model up to 100 A, planned for 2026, which highlights our commitment to innovation and scalable power solutions for modern data centers.

a&s Adria: What innovations are you introducing in cabling infrastructure?

Holzhammer: With growing energy demand, grid limitations, and rising electricity costs, fundamental changes in power distribution are needed. Panduit is developing next-generation Cat6 cables with extended reach up to 150 meters—compared to the 100-meter limit of current Ethernet cables—capable of delivering 90 W power and PoE data. This expands the covered space from 31,400 m² to 70,600 m², impacting multiple industries while maintaining premium quality.

We also introduced RapidID technology, which uses factory-embedded labels to simplify cable documentation. It allows for quick verification, tracing, and up to 50% faster installations, while reducing errors and enhancing cybersecurity by providing full visibility of all active connections. We cannot protect what we cannot see.

a&s Adria: Panduit recently introduced the world’s first UL-certified Class 4 power system. What makes your Fault Managed Power System (FMPS) innovative, and how does it meet modern infrastructure needs?

Holzhammer: Panduit’s FMPS is groundbreaking because it combines low-voltage safety with high-power delivery over long distances, and it’s the world’s first Class 4 system certified under UL 1400-1 and IEC/UL 62368-1. In today’s IoT, smart building, and digital transformation era, efficient and secure power is critical. FMPS delivers up to 600 W per pair over 2 km with over 97% efficiency, supports hot-swappable modules, and reduces installation costs by up to 60%. It uses pulsed power technology, monitoring every pulse to stop power within 2 ms if a fault occurs, greatly lowering fire or shock risks. Remote monitoring allows technicians to manage systems without on-site intervention. This architecture is more efficient because future buildings will use DC power. Fault Managed Power enables direct energy distribution, and even data centers will start adopting it. Tests for 2 kW delivery are already underway, generating strong interest.

a&s Adria: Cybersecurity has become a critical concern for networks today. How has the importance of security evolved over time, particularly in industrial and operational networks, and what role does Panduit play in addressing these challenges?

Holzhammer: When it comes to communication, cybersecurity — especially the security aspects within networks — is one of the most important, overarching topics today. In my prior role in industrial automation, historically, security was not given the attention it deserved. Machines were simply connected, and few considered the impact of a security breach. As a result, these operational networks were—and in some cases still are—more vulnerable than enterprise networks. Over recent years, we have seen numerous incidents where attackers focused on OT (operational technology) networks, rather than traditional IT systems, and whose impact went far beyond just data theft: operational disruption, downtime, and more. Hackers often exploit OT networks, but internal threats are equally worrying. For example, someone could unintentionally plug in a virus‑infected USB stick on a factory floor device. These kinds of risks underline that cyber threats in industrial environments are very real.

At Panduit, our primary business is the physical infrastructure — hardware for data and power connectivity. While cybersecurity isn’t our only focus, we take it seriously. Some of our devices are network‑connected, and we implement protective measures to guard them against intrusion. Panduit’s cybersecurity strategy is built on three core pillars: Physical protection — this is our first line of defense: controlling access, securing ports, and physically protecting critical infrastructure; Network infrastructure visibility — we place sensors in our cabinets, enabling administrators to see in real time who is attempting access; Business continuity planning — a well-defined strategy, including processes and technologies, helps us restore systems rapidly after any major incident.

Taken together, these three pillars help Panduit not just to deliver robust physical infrastructure, but also to provide a resilient and secure foundation for modern IT and OT systems.

By: Damir Muharemovic

E-mail: editorial@asadria.com

a&s Adria: Could you briefly introduce yourself, focusing on your current role and professional background?

Jiang: I am Yelin Jiang, CEO of Hytera Communications. I have 15 years of technical experience in telecommunications. I joined Hytera in 2010, as the Head of Product Development. Since 2021, I work as a CEO. Over the past four years, I am pleased with the company’s transformation – Hytera is now more process-driven, better organized, and equipped with cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions. Additionally, our sales team has grown significantly stronger and more active in the global market.

a&s Adria: At the recent Hytera Global Partner Summit in Croatia, you mentioned that the company has successfully navigated major challenges such as the pandemic, political tensions, and global supply chain disruptions, while also expanding its presence in the European market. Could you elaborate on how Hytera managed to overcome these obstacles and what specific strategies or factors contributed to gaining a stronger market share in Europe?

Jiang: Hytera has operated in Europe for over 20 years. When China and Europe had a good relationship, the atmosphere for business was completely different. And so, we did a lot of acquisitions in Europe. We acquired Rohde & Schwarz‘sTETRA business in 2012, now it is restructured as HMF. Later on, we acquired Sepura and Teltronic. Our DMR and analog radio channel business also grew steadily.

However, geopolitical shifts raised uncertainty about Chinese technology – particularly whether the Chinese telecommunication and radio communication technologies are safe or secure. Of course, all these concerns were created by politicians, they are not true. But, this made it a bit difficult for us to continue doing business on a higher level, like governments, public safety, and some key infrastructure businesses.

So, we modified our strategy in Europe. We were more focused on the commercial market. And we left this kind of government-related business to HMF, Sepura, and Teltronic. Then Hytera focused on commercial markets and channel business in Europe. We reinvested a lot in channel business and opened a new office in Pulheim of Germany, where we have a new facility, a warehouse, and a new team to support the European customers, especially after Brexit. So, in this way, Hytera was adapted to the new business environment.

Then came the pandemic, which created lockdowns and a lot of delays in delivery. But the good thing is, for Hytera, we have a very strong R&D team. The Chinese engineers are very diligent, they worked very hard. We made retrofit replacements of obsolete components in a very short time. This strong R&D effort helped us a lot, our business grew very quickly during the pandemic period.

Today, we nearly doubled our channel business compared to five years ago. In the past three years, we also made around 19% growth. I think the first reason behind this is Hytera has a very strong R&D team that helps Hytera continuously supply the market. The second, we enhanced our investment in Europe, we provided better delivery, better service and better marketing positioning in the market.

And the third thing is our continuous investment and sustainable commitment to the market. Our partners see our investments and our good products. So, putting all these things together – we gain more and more trust from customers. More and more partners who used to work with our competitors now want to talk to us, join us and develop the business together.

a&s Adria: What signal did you want to send to your customers and partners by organizing the first European Hytera Summit?

Jiang: Firstly, we wanted to reaffirm our commitment to European markets, Hytera is investing and growing here. We are confident in our ability to grow, and we look forward to growing together with our partners and customers. Secondly, we wanted to take this opportunity to showcase our innovative products and solutions, enabling a better understanding of Hytera technologies for our partners – then they can learn something new and reach out to us for future collaboration. Lastly, and this is important – we particularly chose to hold this event in Croatia. We believe we have a good opportunity to continue growing – not only in the channel business but also in public safety and other major verticals. We wanted to send a message to our customers and partners in this region that we are committed to further investment and collaboration here.

a&s Adria: I presume, you plan to increase the number of local people in Europe as well?

Jiang: People are important; so is experience. We need talent experienced in high-end solutions, government processes, and public safety requirements – not just channel operations.

 a&s Adria: How do you balance between developed and emerging markets? And local or regional regulations, like the GDPR?

Jiang: You are right. There are two kinds of markets. For the developed markets, we are more willing to listen to the customers, to understand their demand, delivering the best solution which can fit their needs. We can even make adaptations to those markets – like in Europe, where you need GDPR compliance and follow some other regulations. Because the customers are already experienced with the business, they already have a lot of ideas, and they just don’t know who can help them to implement the projects.

As for the emerging markets, it’s a bit different, because the society, the government, customers, police, utilities – are not so efficient and well-organized. They need not only technology, but also the ideas behind the technology – how to properly use the technology. We need to make use of the experience we get from developed markets, sharing the experience with the customers in emerging markets, telling them why they need a certain technology or product, and how they can put the technology in place to improve their efficiency and daily operations, proving that it’s a different idea and concept. So, in the emerging markets, sometimes we need to do coaching, from technical solution design to tendering and implementation. And afterwards, we still need to train the customers how to utilize the products. So it’s a different route comparing with the methodology we used for developed markets, but it’s very interesting.

a&s Adria: What unique strengths or capabilities distinguish you in the market?

Jiang: We believe we have some unique advantages comparing with our competitors. First of all, we are a Chinese company, we are much more flexible in terms of product development and customization. We can adapt our product solutions to fit customer’s needs.

Secondly, we focus on TETRA and DMR technologies, while our competitors may treat these technologies as outdated and not worthy for further investment. We offer a comprehensive product portfolio, and we bring new products to the market that excites our customers and partners every year, which helps energize the industry. Thirdly, the telecommunications and IT industries in China are booming. Backed by robust supply chains and advanced technology, Chinese companies are very agile. This story also applies to Hytera’s fast evolution in broadband. We can access broadband technologies and components rapidly, enabling a greater competitiveness on us over the U.S. and Europe companies.

a&s Adria: Could you walk us through the Hytera core technologies and key products? What are Hytera’s flagship products, and in which industries or vertical markets are they most widely used?

Jiang: Hytera has been serving worldwide users from Public Safety, Oil and Gas, Mining, Utilities and Transportation industries over three decades with its innovative portfolio of Two-way Radios, PMR-LTE Convergent Communications, Fast Deployment Communications, Body-worn Camera and Control Room.

a&s Adria: Hytera has introduced an impressive number of new products over the past couple of years, spanning both narrowband and broadband segments. Could you walk us through the most significant innovations across these areas – from PoC and TETRA solutions to your latest broadband devices, Body-worn cameras, and private 5G infrastructure?

Jiang: Yes, we have launched 71 new products in the last three years, of which 33 are from the narrowband and 38 are from the broadband, confirming our position as a technology leader in the PMR industry. In the retail sector, Hytera has successfully entered this previously unexplored niche market with new S1 units – including S1 Mini, S1, and S1 Pro. PoC (Push-to-Talk over Cellular) solutions gained new growing momentum with the launch of P50, this new entry-level model has an exceptional positive feedback in the market.

In terms of TETRA, we released a number of outstanding models including PT590, a high-end model for public safety users, and the intrinsically safe two-way radio PT890Ex for Oil & Gas users. While in digital systems, the new generation of DMR Cube base station DS-6250S has been recorded installation of more than 4000BTS by the delivery of Chinese Emergency Response project, which is riding the tide of establishing nationwide PPDR network in China.

Epack ad-hoc repeater solution, which is designed for fire and rescue services, land border and sea border protection, got significant improvement in capacity in its latest version. Hytera presented the latest AI-powered 5G cameras SC880 and GC550 further expanding the portfolio of Body-worn Camera, which represents part of Hytera’s strategic expansion into the surveillance market.

Broadband communications are experiencing strong growth from device to system, sales of PNC4, PNC5, PNC6 series and PDC series are increasing; tens of thousands of base stations are being delivered to China and overseas markets, making Hytera as one of the key Chinese suppliers for broadband base stations. Additionally, Hytera is developing its own private 5G systems utilizing its third generation of broadband technology. Finally, we have announced the advanced Hytera Secure Efficient Intelligent System (HySEIS) platform – a multimedia laboratory based on artificial intelligence that integrates security, communications, energy, LBS, and management functions for the needs of different verticals.

 a&s Adria: Can you give me an example of the implementation of AI in your products?

Jiang: When we talk about AI, we will focus on two areas. On one hand, how we can use AI technology to ensure our products and solutions can help our customers with their daily operations in different verticals like public safety, utilities, or manufacturing. On the other hand, how to utilize AI to improve our internal efficiency, which means using AI for things like product design, coding, internal processes, and testing. This is what we are doing so far.

a&s Adria: Which technology do you believe will be the most important for high-tier customers in the near future?

Jiang: One is the sort of narrowband technology, like today’s DMR or TETRA. This will continue for the next 10 years at least. It is a technology we cannot overlook. We will continue to enhance, innovate and upgrade the technology. Another is broadband-related technologies like PoC, Body-worn cameras, and associated applications. This is really important. If broadband technology is not well built up, then there’s no base for AI and such new things to be built on top. So, it is very important to continue promoting broadband-related technology to customers and to the market, and to polish and continuously innovate to ensure we have the best products and best solutions for the market.

a&s Adria: And where do you see Hytera in terms of that technology development and market penetration?

Jiang: I’m very confident that in the next three to five years we will maintain our growing momentum. We see opportunities, we gain attention, trust, and cooperation all over the world. And I am also confident in our current product and technology strategy. We are on the right track with narrowband and broadband convergence, and we cover end-to-end solutions from terminal to infrastructure to application and command & control. Also, we are adding new technologies like AI to our industry.

We believe that keeping today’s product portfolio – narrowband and broadband convergence solutions in hand – together with more AI-related technologies in the next two or three years, it will help not only Hytera to provide more sophisticated application solutions to the market, but also boost the PMR industry, because our customers really need software, hardware, and solutions to facilitate their business.

a&s Adria: Is that a requirement from the customers?

Jiang: Yes, it’s obvious – from the government, police, public safety, and utility sectors – they’re all talking about how to combine new solutions with AI. We’ve also received positive feedback from Southeast Asia and Latin America. People understand that we’re talking about something interesting and they are willing to see what are we going to do.

An exclusive interview with the powerhouse trio behind Advancis Austria’s regional success – Sergej Piculin, Slavoljub Stevanovic, and Nikolai Landa – about their team’s strategic approach, evolving technology, and expanding partner network

By: Damir Muharemović

a&s Adria: Thank you for joining us! Advancis Austria has become increasingly visible across Southeast Europe this year. What’s driving this development?

Pičulin: Thank you – it’s a pleasure! The Balkans are a dynamic and fast-growing region when it comes to digital transformation, particularly in integrated safety and security solutions. There’s growing awareness of how powerful unified, open and scalable platforms can be. This is where WinGuard comes in. The platform enhances situational awareness, reduces complexity and simplifies operations across diverse systems. We’re responding to this growing demand from both public and private sectors by investing in not just technology, but in relationships – building local partnerships, enhancing technical support, and creating tailored solutions that genuinely address regional needs.

Stevanović: It’s about being relevant and reliable, not just present. We’ve participated in key events throughout the region and listened to local stakeholders for understanding the pressing needs. What we see is a clear demand for trust, continuity, and technical depth. Our ability to deliver on all three fronts makes a real difference.

Landa: The feedback has been incredibly positive. Our open approach – vendor-neutral integration, modular systems, and future-ready architecture – is being well received. Clients appreciate that we’re not simply selling software. We’re enabling long-term solutions and give them with WinGuard the independence, flexibility and control to integrate systems from the vendors of their choice, combined with strong support.

 a&s Adria: What does this increased regional presence look like in practice?

Pičulin: Over the past 18 months, our focus has been on building a strong presence in Southeast Europe – including the Balkans but also Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary as well as Bulgaria and Romania. 2025 marked a turning point with greater visibility and deeper engagement. We’re expanding and strengthening relationships with local integrators and end users, empowering them with technical knowledge to confidently implement complex PSIM solutions. This is more than expansion – it’s about creating a community around our platform.

Stevanović: Through on-site training, demos, and workshops, we show how developer-friendly, flexible and powerful WinGuard is.

Landa: Having experts like Slavoljub with his deep technical expertise and Sergej with his knowledge about the local market onboard means we can support technically demanding projects in the local language, with cultural sensitivity and market understanding. That fosters faster, closer collaboration with consultants, integrators and end customers and helps us to develop customized solutions and provide tailored advice.

a&s Adria: Slavoljub, you joined Advancis Austria just six months ago with a strong technical background. How has that shaped your role and approach?

Stevanović: My role has been very hands-on from day one. I focus heavily on live technical workshops and demonstrating how WinGuard integrates everything from access control and video systems to fire alarms, building management and more. And how it enables customizable, intelligent workflows and dynamic interfaces. I joined Advancis to help partners build robust solutions that solve real-world challenges and provide a lasting value.

a&s Adria: Sergej, you are leading the Balkan expansion since early 2024, building up a wide spread network of professionals and expanding operations – could you share your perspective?

Pičulin: Our mission is to build trust and brand awareness through active engagement. Leveraging my regional network, I connect directly with integrators and end users. Regional events boost visibility, while a certified partner ecosystem ensures real traction. We aim for sustainable growth through strong partnerships and continuous support.

a&s Adria: How is Advancis Austria positioning itself in the region in 2025?

Pičulin: We are the regional hub for one of the world’s most trusted PSIM platforms. We translate advanced technology into local value. With WinGuard and AIM, we support digital transformation and modernize and optimize control infrastructures across public and private sectors. Especially in critical infrastructure, our scalable, high-availability solutions enable smarter operations.

Stevanović: Our strength also lies in our implementation expertise. We provide a powerful software but we also help with successful integration through certification, support, and close technical cooperation.

a&s Adria: Nikolai, as the youngest member of the sales team, what is your focus?

Landa: Though new to sales, I’ve been with Advancis Austria for several years. Growing up in the security industry – my father Günter Landa has led Advancis Austria for 15 years – I began in a back-office role and now lead sales in Romania and Bulgaria while supporting the wider region. My background gives me insight into both customer needs and internal operations, bridging sales and coordination.

a&s Adria: How do your roles complement each other within the team?

Pičulin: I handle strategic development, building up long-term partnerships and brand awareness. Slavoljub provides technical depth, and Landa ensures operational flow and follow-up.

Landa: We each bring different strengths – strategic, technical, and operational – and that makes us a well-balanced team.

a&s Adria: The team in Vienna seems to be growing. Tell us more about it and its role within the Advancis Group.

Stevanović: Our Executive Director Günter Landa brings decades of experience and strategic oversight. Michael Breuer leads our Sales Team – which also covers Austria, Italy, Greece, and Malta –, while Nadine Landa supports with marketing. Roman Zaccaria’s Support & Services team ensures strong technical support and smooth implementations. Their combined expertise turns promises into results.

Landa: We are an established regional hub but tightly connected with the global Advancis network. We work closely with Advancis headquarters and also have a regular and deep exchange with Advancis subsidiaries all over the world.

a&s Adria: On a global scale, how is Advancis evolving?

Pičulin: Advancis is clearly positioning itself as a global PSIM leader and has operations across Europe, – our newest colleagues are from Spain, France and Italy –, the Middle East and the U.S., and is expanding into Southeast Asia. This gives us global reach and insight while allowing us to focus locally.

Stevanović: Technologically, that means faster development, broader integration support, and more flexibility in deployments. We now offer over 550, and more are being added constantly. The global network helps us bring best practices to local markets.

a&s Adria: How does Advancis balance global ambition with local needs and adaption?

Stevanović: Through modularity and adaptability. We follow global standards but adapt to local needs – language, compliance, deployment models. Our architecture supports that balance.

Pičulin: Growth is only valuable if backed by trust and expertise. The strength of Advancis internationally gives us stability but our local execution is what earns us trust. From Malaysia to Madrid, our promise remains: reliability, openness, and technical excellence.

a&s Adria: It’s great to see the synergy among your roles and entities. Let’s dive into technology: WinGuard is Advancis’ core platform – what makes it such a strong solution for our region?

Stevanović: Clearly it’s openness and vendor-neutral architecture. It connects multiple subsystems like video, fire, access, building management from different vendors into one intuitive interface. That gives clients independence to choose best-of-breed solutions, while still having centralized control.

Pičulin: In the Balkans, system diversity is huge. WinGuard’s ability to act as a central layer across heterogeneous technologies solves a major challenge many organizations face and enables scalable growth. That makes it ideal for complex multi-site environments and supports long-term investment protection. By integrating existing systems instead of replacing them, it also significantly improves ROI.

Landa: But WinGuard is far more than a common PSIM platform. Beyond system integration it provides customized intelligent workflows and real-time automations. We don’t automate critical decision-making, but operators are guided through pre-defined processes based on dynamic system states. This not only reduces errors and reaction time but also boosts operational efficiency – which translates into measurable cost savings.

a&s Adria: What’s new in the latest WinGuard version X5?

Landa: WinGuard X5 is for the first time built on the Advancis Open Platform (AOP), allowing partners to develop their own adapters and customize integrations using modern APIs. It’s a game-changer for smart cities, utilities, and critical infrastructure, just to name a few.

Stevanović: We also improved visualization, data handling, alarm processing, and reporting tools. In increasingly complex environments, it’s essential to simplify how data is aggregated and presented. We are continuously working on adapting to the evolving needs of the market.

 

a&s Adria: NIS2 puts stronger emphasis on cybersecurity and resilience. How can platforms like WinGuard help meeting these new requirements?

Stevanović: NIS2 isn’t just about digital systems, it requires securing physical infrastructure. WinGuard supports this by unifying diverse security systems into one intelligent platform, enabling centralized monitoring and control. This improves visibility and situational awareness and leads consequently to faster, more informed decisions in critical situations. In addition, predefined workflows guide operators, which is minimizing errors and ensuring a structured response.

Landa: But it also supports one of the most overlooked aspects of NIS2: documentation. Every event, every action, every response is automatically logged – so audits and compliance checks become much easier and reliable, and less time-consuming.

Pičulin: Prevention and preparedness are just as important. WinGuard enables organizations to detect anomalies early and respond proactively. Routines and responses in security incidents are guided, repeatable, and well-documented. This kind of transparency and accountability is essential for NIS2 compliance.

a&s Adria: AIM, your second platform, is also gaining traction. What is it and how does it complement your core PSIM solution WinGuard?

Stevanović: AIM, our Advanced Identity Manager, synchronizes access rights across physical and IT systems. It ensures consistent and centralized identity control and automates onboarding, role changes, and de-provisioning. This helps reducing errors and increases compliance and security.

Landa: Especially in critical infrastructure or large enterprise environments, this is becoming essential. Being shortlisted for the 2025 GIT Security Award highlights its relevance.

Pičulin: AIM strengthens governance and auditability. Combined with WinGuard, it delivers full-spectrum security management. But WinGuard remains the integration backbone. That’s where most of our current momentum lies in the Balkans.

a&s Adria: You’ve attended several local events. How important are they?

Pičulin: They’re crucial. Trust is built face-to-face. This spring, we focused on smaller events like the A&S Roadshow, Security Managers Conference in Budva, and partner events with Avitech in Romania. These formats enable personal engagement and tailored discussions with integrators and end users.

Stevanović: From a technical and pre-sales point of view, these more intimate events allow us to dive deep into technical requirements and pain points across sectors. This helps understand how WinGuard can really support their day-to-day operations.

Landa: We always bring the latest WinGuard version with us for demonstrations. It makes a big difference when people can see it in action.

a&s Adria: Which events are you focusing on in autumn 2025?

Landa: We’re preparing for a strong presence at the Adria Security Summit in Skopje, the inaugural Romanian Security Summit in Bucharest, SecuriForum in Budapest, and Sicurezza in Milan. With an expanded sales and technical team, we’ll use these platforms to showcase our latest innovations.

Pičulin: Beyond our booth presence, we also contribute to the agenda through panel discussions and speeches.

 

a&s Adria: How important is technical expertise in your regional strategy?

Pičulin: It’s central. Our technology is powerful, but it only delivers full value when it’s configured and applied correctly. That’s why we work closely with our partners to support them through the entire project lifecycle, from project design to training, and commissioning.

Stevanović: As someone with a technical background, I enjoy working with partners on complex integration scenarios. Where it’s about much more than “connecting systems”, but about usability and operational efficiency.

a&s Adria: Tell us more about the strategic value and your approach to partnerships.

Pičulin: Partnerships are at our core. As a vendor-neutral provider, we rely on skilled integrators who know their local markets. We offer the platform, training, and support – they deliver tailored solutions. Our partner ecosystem is growing across all markets, with certified integrators in some countries and ongoing expansion in others.

Stevanović: Our technological and local integration partners are like an extension of our team. Many have worked with us across multiple projects. We spend a lot of time supporting them, for example with trainings, proof-of-concepts, technical support or helping build demonstration environments. It’s a mutual exchange of knowledge.

Landa: Our partners with their knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm help us to ensure consistency and quality. We want to empower them to create the best solutions for the end users.

a&s Adria: What makes Advancis a reliable partner, especially for this region?

Landa: We’re committed to long-term success. With WinGuard X5, AIM, and a strong local team, we’re fully equipped for the challenges of today and tomorrow.

Pičulin: We listen closely to market’s needs to make sure to deliver relevant, high-impact solutions with a sustainable value for the users.

Stevanović: We collaborate, train, and support. Our local teams and partners are fully certified, and we work closely with them from project design to implementation and beyond.

a&s Adria: What can security professionals expect next?

Pičulin: More regional engagements – local events, workshops, tech days, customer visits and trainings. We’re focused on building knowledge and relationships that last.

Stevanović: Continuous product innovation: new functionalities, modules, integrations and intelligent automation features, designed to make daily operations safer and more efficient. And we’ll also continue to support complex integration projects, ensuring that both the technology and the implementation meet the highest standards.

Landa: Innovation in both product and partner support. The future is integrated, intelligent, and user-centered – and we’re ready to lead.

a&s Adria: What are your goals for the near future?

Pičulin: To be the go-to partner for integrated security management – trusted, locally present, and technically strong. And of course finalizing key projects and developing sector-specific solutions. This is the foundation for growth beyond 2025.

Stevanović: Expanding and empowering our partner network by equipping them to lead their own WinGuard deployments. Our goal is to train and certify at least 50 more engineers – ensuring solutions are not just sold but fully understood and expertly implemented. That’s how customers unlock the full potential of WinGuard X5 – reduce complexity and gain real control. In the end, that is what motivates and drives us forward.

Landa: We’re excited about our new demo showroom in Vienna opening later this year. That’s a great opportunity for technical workshops and customer events.

 a&s Adria: Final thoughts – why choose Advancis Austria now?

Pičulin: The time is right. The region needs open, integrated, and future-ready security solutions. WinGuard X5 and AIM offer exactly that. They bring clarity, control and adaptability to complex security environments.

Landa: We are committed to long-term, trusted collaboration. At the end of the day, it’s about people – inside the company, with our partners, and with our customers.

Stevanović: We combine technical innovation and expertise with deep local understanding. Let’s build smart, secure operations together!

Advancis Austria heads into autumn 2025 with an expanded team, major trade-show visibility, cutting-edge products and a partner-driven growth strategy. With WinGuard X5 based on AOP as the integration backbone and AIM enabling advanced identity management, Advancis is setting a new standard in control room technology. Behind it all stands a passionate team – strategic, technically strong, and deeply customer-focused. Together, they represent a holistic approach to security, integration, and sustainable partner collaboration across Southeast Europe.