How drones, phones and mini cell towers can benefit public safety

Drones, phones, and mini cell towers are some of the  drone camera sets  communication tools that can be used to create ad hoc wireless connections when communications are down. Advances in technology like these, in addition to COWs (Cell On Wheels), COLTs (Cell On Light Trucks), Satellite COLT, CROWs (Cellular Repeater On Wheels) and GOATs (Generator On A Trailer) are helping to put more detailed and clearer information into the hands of first responders.

Connecting a mini cell tower, which provides the ability to transmit data to and from a wireless device, to a drone creates temporary, roving coverage.

It’s well known that public safety drones are equipped with high-resolution cameras that can help provide an aerial view of the scene. Public safety drones can also provide thermal images wirelessly to incident commanders on the ground, helping to protect their crews, predict fire directions, or help find a missing person. This can help in an area where a catastrophic fire or weather system may have damaged wired or fiber optic cables, or a cellular network preventing decision-makers from receiving critical information. Without constant updates and situational awareness, there could be serious repercussions for the work of first responders and public safety officials. Public safety drones turned into mini cell towers provide the ability for responders on the ground to send and receive information regardless of how much damage the immediate area has sustained.

For instance, when approximately 1,084 homes and seven commercial properties and 6,000 acres have been burned down, like during the wind-driven Marshall fire, one of the most costly fires in Colorado history, Verizon provided the impacted areas with a variety of Verizon Frontline voice and data solutions and deployed many assets including cell on wheels to provide wireless coverage and capacity for emergency crews and responding agencies like the Red Cross. According to Fox31 Denver, the cell on wheels stayed on site providing coverage during the last two years while the network towers were rebuilt.