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Telecom Business Review | Friday, May 07, 2021
As per forecasts, the addressable market for drone-powered solutions in the telecoms industry is at 6.3 billion dollars in a global analysis of commercial uses of drone technology.
Fremont, CA: Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), often known as drones, are frequently portrayed as toys or weapons. However, they are also viewed as maintenance tools by telecom carriers. As per forecasts, the addressable market for drone-powered solutions in the telecoms industry is at 6.3 billion dollars in a global analysis of commercial uses of drone technology. The next section looks at how wireless carriers and telecom operators plan to use the technology.
Tower Inspections
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Tower climbing has been identified as one of the world's most dangerous vocations. On the other hand, drones are increasingly being utilized to conduct tower inspections, taking images, video, and data about towers and automatically transmitting it to the carrier network. Aside from saving lives, drones can do routine inspections and audit faster than humans. The data collected by these gadgets during inspections are frequently more dependable.
Reduced Costs
Deploying drones for tower maintenance could help telecom operators save money in a variety of ways. For example, depending on the breadth of the examination, a single tower climb might cost between 2,000 and 5,000 dollars. On the other hand, drones are exceedingly lightweight and less expensive to deploy. Furthermore, the technology is less expensive to launch with bigger aircraft like helicopters or planes.
Line-of-Sight Testing and Radio Planning
Drones may also be helpful for radio engineering and line-of-sight testing, with line-of-sight referring to a direct line of sight between two antennas. Using the technique, for example, different impediments that weaken radio signals, such as trees, buildings, and hilltops, may be discovered and avoided. This data may then get utilized to identify the best placement and height for an installation.
Disaster Recovery
Drones may also be helpful in assist restore telecommunications infrastructure after a disaster. AT&T, for example, utilized LTE-equipped drones last year to reconnect some Puerto Ricans who had lost wireless coverage as a result of Hurricane Maria. In general, these devices, which AT&T refers to as "flying COWS" (cells on wings), can be utilized to help enhance signal strength in disaster-affected areas in the near term.
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