Airborne Wireless Network has asked the FCC for permission to move ahead with experimental air-to-air and air-to-ground meshed network system evaluations in the 15 GHz band in an effort to prove out a concept to take wireless broadband skyward.
According to its mission statement, the company is working to create a high-speed airborne broadband wireless network by linking commercial aircraft in flight. Airborne Wireless said it plans to use each aircraft in the network as a flying repeater or router, with signals being passed from aircraft to aircraft to create a mesh network in the sky.
Credit: Intellicom via FCC
In a Tuesday filing with the FCC, the company asked for special permission to conduct radio link tests between two planes and from those aircraft to the ground. Airborne Wireless currently has its eye on spectrum between 14.6-14.8 and 15.15-15.35 GHz using equipment from Intellicom, but said in its application “future systems may be based on other frequencies.” Technical details of Airborne Wireless’ test plan can be found here.
The test duration would span the course of two weeks, with experiments conducted for several hours each day, the company indicated. UFO and alien fans will appreciate the fact that Airborne Wireless is seeking to run its tests in Roswell, N.M.
But what does it want to do with this airborne network?
The goal, the company said, isn’t to provide retail coverage to end users, but act as a wholesale carrier with customers such as internet service providers and telcos.
Filed Under: Infrastructure