Photo credit: AT&T
Drones aren’t exactly new to wireless networks, but AT&T claims an industry first with a 5G-powered drone that was launched in a field in rural Missouri, of all places.
Because the field is so remote, AT&T’s drone team chose it for the April debut of their flying COW (cell on wings vs. older land-based COWs, or cell on wheels). There are no trees, no houses, and no wise-cracking humans. (At least, not until it was mentioned on Twitter.)
Before launching the 5G flying COW, AT&T had intermittent, weak LTE signals at the flight location, according to Ethan Hunt, principal programme manager of AT&T Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
“We took the drone up to about 300 feet, turned on the signal, and it started providing robust 5G coverage to an area of roughly 10 square miles,” Hunt explained.
Customers in the area who have competent 5G phones may have gone from no service to super-fast wireless connections in seconds, according to AT&T. This could aid first responders in the future when conducting search and rescue efforts.
Drones may use 5G for command and control or video streaming, according to Hunt, but the AT&T 5G Flying COW is the only drone with a 5G network. It might be a game changer, according to AT&T.
AT&T has a long history of collaborating with drones, with LTE-based drones providing coverage during major events or natural disasters. Given that rival Verizon just opted to shut down the Skyward drone firm that it acquired in 2017, its present work is noteworthy.
AT&T UAS Program Director Art Pregler stated in a statement that connectivity is the main priority in the drone sector, and “all of our drone solutions have that focus.” He went on to say that 5G brings a lot of new capabilities to the table.
They’re focusing on being able to fly without tethers for months at a time without landing, as well as harnessing solar power to give 5G connectivity to big numbers of users across large geographic areas.
