IIT Kharagpur researchers develop air-borne telecom tower

Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) at Kharagpur have developed a UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) assisted communication infrastructure for 5G communication network.

The system includes an Android-based application that is fitted to a fleet of drones, that are programmed to create emergency communication networks by extending cellular network coverage from the nearest available mobile towers.

Researchers said that the mobile telecom towers during emergencies such as natural disasters when land-based communication networks are damaged by earthquakes and floods.

Debarati Sen, a professor at GS School of Telecommunication at IIT Kharagpur said, “The system includes an Android-based application fitted to a fleet of drones which are programmed to create emergency communication networks by extending cellular network coverage from the closest available mobile towers.”

The researcher’s team has submitted a report to the union ministry of electronics and information technology who has funded the entire project.

In the case of network disruptions, the drones can avoid them by changing their locations and bypassing the jam. The fleet could also be used to locate survivors and provide emergency aid while decreasing the time for first responders.

The researchers are trying to bring down the cost of UAV system through reprogramming so that it is affordable to various public.