The deal is part of NASA ’s research . NASA is working with Verizon Wireless and more than 100 other technology companies, including Google and Airware , to explore whether an automated drone system for air traffic control is feasible. On Thursday, The Guardian reported on documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act that Verizon , in particular, will build some kind of system to test whether cell towers “can support unmanned aerial systems (UAS) communication and surveillance, as well as air traffic management (UTM) .” The project is scheduled to be presented to the Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) in 2019. The research is currently in its early stages. Kevin King , a Verizon spokesman , denies a Guardian report that the company should present a concept for using cell data coverage, navigation, surveillance and tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) in a complete version by 2019.
“It is very early for all this and things are in an experimental stage.” says King. “The agreement we signed expires in 2019, there is no expectation within this interval for any specific delivery.”
Paul McKim , a policy advisor at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ’s research center in Silicon Valley , said the word “ surveillance ” has bad connotations and should be replaced with “ monitoring .” He added that the Guardian may have been confused by the fact that Verizon is listed as a partner in an “Active Space Agreement” with NASA , with an estimated value of $500,000, but that amount is actually a kind of estimate of the work provided by the government agency.
