Helikite Balloons Could Form Emergency LTE Network

Helikite Balloons Could Form Emergency LTE NetworkNow here is an idea – should a kaiju suddenly appear off the Gulf of Mexico, or just like in the movies, giant monsters from the depths of the sea decide to make short work of humanity’s abodes by the beach, surely there will be areas where cellphone reception is down due to the phone’s network being dragged down alongside the wanton destruction that was wrought. Well, what can be done in such a situation then? How about Helikites?

Helikites are actually small load-bearing balloon-kite hybrids that can be launched in a jiffy in order to form a network of LTE or WLAN masts that are up to an altitude of 2.5 miles. This would ensure that data coverage is provided to the masses right after a natural (or unnatural) disaster such as an earthquake or tsunami happens. Sounding like something right out of Tony Stark’s lab, the standalone rugged suitcase, better known as a “Portable Land Rapid Deployment Unit,” will have all that is required needed for activation in tough conditions. Needless to say, such helikites will drift apart eventually, but at least in the immediate moment, folks would have access to an emergency LTE network.

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Helikite balloons can hoist emergency LTE network after natural disaster

'Helikite' balloons can hoist emergency LTE network after natural disaster

We know, we know, Google has the whole hot air balloon thing covered. But this idea is a bit different. It consists of a group of “helikites,” or small load-bearing balloon-kite hybrids, which can quickly be launched to form a network of LTE or WLAN masts up to an altitude of 2.5 miles, providing data coverage following an earthquake or tsunami. A standalone rugged suitcase, or “Portable Land Rapid Deployment Unit,” contains everything needed for activation in tough conditions. Researchers behind the project, including German R&D firm TriaGnoSys, have even found a way to integrate the temporary network with existing cell towers that remain in tact on the ground — a feature that makes the system suitable not only for emergencies, but also for expanding mobile coverage during planned events in remote locations. Of course, the helikites would eventually drift apart and lose connectivity, probably after around four days depending on the wind, but these things never travel quite as far as you’d expect.

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Via: Technology Review

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