Qualcomm Drone Gets ‘Top Gun’ Treatment in Fly Rule Workaround
Chipmaker testing cellular networks to help convince FAA to relax rules on drones flying alone.
Cell Phone Drones Take Flight
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One of the main hurdles to drones’ ability to zip around the country delivering packages is a requirement that they stay within their operator’s line of sight during daylight hours. Qualcomm Inc. is working on a solution that’s been right before our eyes: cellphone networks.
The rules from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration exist to help prevent accidents with commercial aircraft and mitigate the risk that drones could get out of control in areas where it’s not safe for them to go. By tapping into the networks of towers that connect phones to each other and to the internet, drone operators would be able to track and maneuver them even when they aren’t visible.