Australian based company, Telstra, has shown a renewed “interest” in the possible use of high-altitude drones or balloons to internet services. They are looking at using this as a long-term alternative for satellite-based broadband services.  As one of Australia’s leading providers of broadband internet for regional and remote users, drones instead of satellites will be an innovative move not yet achieved by any other telecommunication company (telco).

Telstra had previously talked about the potential of using high-altitude platforms also called HAPs. They ran a trial in 2014 using Google’s Project Loon in Queensland Australia, but the tests did not yield any notable results.  Now, three years later, the telco has given a very clear indication that it sees broadband provision with high-altitude drones as a possible business opportunity.

Telstra stated that it is interested in the opportunities provided by HAPs and their potential use for provisioning of broadband services. It will be a welcome move during a natural disaster and can also be deployed to hard-to-reach places. The company is interested in the long-term solutions of telecom services in rural and remote areas.

High altitude drones have the potential to fulfill the same objectives as satellite systems. The good news is that they can be launched at a lower cost to telecom businesses. They can also be used alongside traditional satellite systems.  While Google’s Loon is the most popular high altitude platform project, there are now others that have been launched in the last few years such as Facebook’s Aquila project, which helped create more confidence in the technology.

Telstra noted that the land mass in Australia and its unique geographical location makes it one of the best places for testing high altitude drones. The development and deployment of these Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) will be easier and more affordable in Australia.  However, the company also explained that some flexibility is required in the area of drone regulations. If authorities want the company to test the technology further, high altitude platforms should be allowed to freely operate in the country.

The regulation should cover a framework of how these HAPs can operate beyond the visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) of their operators. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) may approve these kinds of high altitude drone operations for certain projects. Although if the HAP is above that of commercial aircraft, different rules may apply.  Creating a framework for BVLOS activities at a high altitude will help open the way for HAPs development and deployment in Australia.

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