On April 5, Verizon conducted the latest engineering flight tests to determine how large an area of wireless coverage can be created aerially using a “flying cell site” aboard a long endurance drone piloted by American Aerospace Technologies, Inc. (AATI). This latest technical test of Airborne LTE took place at Woodbine Municipal Airport in Woodbine, New Jersey and was designed to simulate an environment in which commercial power is knocked out indefinitely after a severe weather event or other disaster that interrupts traditional communications services.
The test was conducted under a Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) issued by the FAA to Cape May County in preparation for a major emergency preparedness exercise in May involving county, state and federal emergency responders. “This new test builds upon our leadership in conducting the first successful demonstration in the U.S. for providing aerial coverage from a long-endurance medium altitude aircraft with AATI in Cape May last October,” said Christopher Desmond, Verizon Network.
