Trials begins later this month, and beyond just testing to see how a drone connected to a 4G LTE network operates, the two companies are hoping that these tests could help influence future regulations for unmanned aerial vehicles.
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The companies want to test how drones can operate safely and more securely on commercial 4G LTE and upcoming 5G networks, they said in a joint statement.
Bruce V. Bigelow is the editor of Xconomy San Diego. With that capability, a drone could be used for deliveries of packages and other goods, as well as for remote inspections and explorations. LTE connections could deliver flight plans wirelessly to drones and track their location and adjust flight routes in near real-time. “Solving for the connectivity challenges of complex flight operations is an essential first step to enabling how drones will work in the future”. But for commercial drone applications, like Amazon’s airborne delivery service, to pan out at all, they will need a system of communication that allows them to travel farther, safer (and that will hopefully fend off doomsday scenarios).
Qualcomm and AT&T are teaming on a big drone project.
PrecisionHawk has operated drones under a FAA Cooperative Research and Development Agreement since past year, and sees business opportunities for beyond-line-of-sight flights in aerial mapping of large agribusiness fields, forests, mining operations, public utilities, and other rural operations. Already in use in some commercially available drones, the platform offers high fidelity sensor processing, precise localization, autonomous visual navigation and 4K videography, in an integrated, light-weight model suitable for consumers and enterprises, Qualcomm said.
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AT&T noted in a statement that the tests won’t interrupt customers’ connectivity in the existing network. The effort with Qualcomm is new.
