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AT&T and Qualcomm say they want to analyze how drones, also known as Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), can operate safely and more securely on the commercial LTE networks of today and networks of the future, including 5G. Their trial, which will use AT&T’s commercially available spectrum, will evaluate network requirements in support of drone operations.
It’s not as if AT&T is on a fast track to start selling drones next to smartphones in its stores, however. “I don’t think that’s one of our primary goals,” said Matt Walsh, director of Business Development - UAS at AT&T IoT Solutions. “It’s always a possibility, I guess, but we’re focused on what are the services we can provide to the category.”
The use cases for drones are seemingly infinite. Companies like AT&T already use drones to inspect towers and to better understand network performance. Other companies are using drones to inspect...