AT&T aims high with its new drone program, allowing it to carry out inspections of its cell towers, implement changes in real time and ultimately amp up its network.
With unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) at hand, the carrier will not only improve the efficiency of its procedures but also keep the technicians out of harm's way.
"By using drones to inspect a cell site, we're able to conduct inspections more quickly and safely — and even access parts of a tower that a human simply could not," John Donovan, chief strategy officer and group president at AT&T, says, noting that improvements can be implemented a whole deal faster.
The benefits don't end there, as the company also plans to use the drones to deliver LTE coverage in crowded areas, calling them Flying Cell on Wings (COWs). That means the project has the potential to bring internet access to remote locations that do not have the necessary equipment to do so. What's more, the UAVs will be useful in providing aid in disaster-stricken places, as they will let survivors go online and contact friends and family more quickly.
From any perspective, this initiative stands to help practically everyone, but Donovan does say that it's still not a reality at this point. However, AT&T already has a couple of plans in mind, and it has done its preparations to kick things off the ground.
The carrier is also showcasing the drones' capability of performing aerial inspections to its cell towers at the SHAPE Conference in San Francisco, which started on July 15.
It should be pointed out that AT&T isn't the first company to take advantage of UAVs to provide access to the internet in various locations, as Google and Facebook are also tinkering with the technology.
At any rate, the takeaway from all of this is that firms here and there are taking advantage of drones to improve and spread internet access for everyone, and as a bit of good news, it's safe to bet that these ventures are going to happen in the foreseeable future.
Don't forget to hit up the video below to get a "bird's eye view" of the drone inspection program.
What do you think of AT&T's plans to improve the cell tower inspections and expand network coverage? Drop by our comments section below and let us know.
