Why are you supporting the Connected Skies event?
One of the main reasons is that we see mobile telecommunications operators playing an important role in unmanned aviation. We will definitely be part of the mix of new technologies that will come together to support the drone sector.
What sort of digitised connected technologies are you employing at the moment?
As a mobile operator, connectivity is a major part of our business. We’re looking to the future when we believe that connectivity will not only be needed on the ground, but also in the skies for drones. That’s why we are conducting trials in the LTE network and undertaking research in this area.
What would you like to be doing in five years’ time when we have 5G available?
It’s hard to list all the things that will be possible with 5G but what we’re doing at the moment is testing the capabilities we already have within the LTE network and trying to understand what we can already achieve by using the existing base station configuration. For example, in Latvia, where we are based, we’re currently experimenting with providing aerial services without any adaptation to existing infrastructure.
We recently ran a demonstration during a 5G Techritory event in Riga where we successfully controlled a drone over the mobile network. This is the first step towards something bigger in the future.
What do you want to achieve from the Connected Skies event?
We want to increase the awareness of new technologies on the horizon, and to explain how mobile operators can support upcoming drone technologies and improve their functionality. We would definitely like to showcase something that no-one will have seen before, and are looking at bringing along some great ideas to the Connected Skies event.
Gints Jakovels is Innovation Lead (UAS/UTM Development & Solutions) at LMT
For more information on GUTMA’s Connected Skies webinars visit: https://gutma.org/cs-webinars-2020/
