FAA OKs AT&T Wireless Service Via Drone in Puerto Rico

The FAA approved AT&T's use of a drone to temporarily restore wireless service in Hurricane Maria-battered Puerto Rico. The agency said Friday the company's Flying Cell on Wheels drone involves a drone fitted with LTE radios and antennas and is tethered to ground-based power and electronics. It said it flies at an altitude of up to 200 feet and can cover up to 40 square miles with wireless service. The agency said the company needed a special exemption and an emergency certification of operation because the drone exceeded the small drone rule's 55-pound weight limit.