Telstra Labs is testing drones which can provide mobile phone coverage when infrastructure is down, such as after a natural disaster. Telstra says that the drones represent the evolution of its ‘cell on wheels’ (COW): The generator-powered mobile base station that the telco uses to provide mobile coverage when infrastructure has been damaged or in cases of increased demand in areas (festivals, for example). Capable of 384 simultaneous calls and a forty-five minute flight time when airborne, the drones can be attached, via power leads, to ground-based generators, such as the company's "cell on wheels" mobile station, to handle 4000 calls at once and have an indefinite flight time. The company has also developed a drone that will carry out aerial photography for disaster relief purposes.
Telstra Labs is testing drones which can provide mobile phone coverage when infrastructure is down, such as after a natural disaster. Capable of 384 simultaneous calls and a forty-five minute flight time when airborne, the drones can be attached, via power leads, to ground-based generators, such as the company's "cell on wheels" mobile station, to handle 4000 calls at once and have an indefinite flight time. The company has also developed a drone that will carry out aerial photography for disaster relief purposes.