Verizon Testing Drones to Deliver Wireless Service to Dead Zones
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Verizon Communications Inc. is entering the drone race with a remote-controlled plane that has a 17-foot (5.2-meter) wingspan and is loaded with wireless antennas for extending service to areas beyond the reach of its cellular network.
In a test of a simulated post-storm disaster on Thursday, the Verizon drone, which is owned and operated by American Aerospace Technologies Inc., will fly near Cape May, New Jersey, where emergency-management officials will run trials using the plane’s mobile connections. Testing temporary flyover networks for first responders is just one of the applications Verizon is planning for drones, the company said in a statement.