FAA Approves Drone To Restore Puerto Rico Cell Service | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-11.17.25

AirborneNextGen-
11.11.25

Airborne-Unlimited-11.12.25

Airborne-FltTraining-11.13.25

AirborneUnlimited-11.14.25

LIVE MOSAIC Town Hall (Archived): www.airborne-live.net

Tue, Nov 21, 2017

FAA Approves Drone To Restore Puerto Rico Cell Service

AT&T Flying COW Authorized For The Mission

The FAA quickly approved the first unmanned aircraft operation of its kind to help restore cellular service in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria.

The Flying COW (Cell on Wings) drone, developed by AT&T, functions like a cell tower in the sky, restoring voice, data and internet service. It flies up to 200 feet above the ground, covering an area of 40 square miles, and is particularly useful in remote areas.

The Pulse Vapor 55 drone, which resembles a miniature helicopter, is fitted with LTE radios and antennas and is tethered to ground-based electronics and power systems. Because the aircraft exceeded the 55-lb. weight limit required to operate under the FAA’s small drone rule, the FAA had to issue a special exemption and an emergency certificate of authorization for AT&T to conduct its mission.

The company is using the drone as a temporary cell service solution while it rebuilds the permanent infrastructure on the island.

(Source: FAA news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.faa.gov

Advertisement

More News

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (11.18.25)

“Setting eight speed records this quickly following its August entry into service is a powerful testament to the tremendous capabilities of this aircraft. We are already seei>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (11.18.25): On-Course Indication

On-Course Indication An indication on an instrument, which provides the pilot a visual means of determining that the aircraft is located on the centerline of a given navigational t>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (11.18.25)

Aero Linx: WW1 Aeroplanes, Inc. WORLD WAR 1 AEROPLANES was founded by Leo Opdycke in 1961 and incorporated as a federally recognized 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation in 1979,>[...]

NTSB Final Report: Shoemaker Ronald R Pazmany PL-2

Pilot Reported That He Purchased The Airplane Earlier That Day Analysis: The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane earlier that day and completed a condition inspection tha>[...]

Airborne-NextGen 11.18.25: Dream Chaser Preps, Joby eTurbine, UAE Flt Test

Also: Abu Dhabi’s 1st Vertiport Network, Anduril-EDGE Partner, Vertical Permit/eVTOL Regs Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane has cleared another round of pre-flight>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC