Cell Tower News: NATE forms drone integration committee

Drone use for towers gets integration committee

The National Association of Tower Erectors announced the establishment of an Unmanned Aerial Systems Committee. In layman’s terms; drones. The new committee will monitor both the trends and regulatory environment related to the fast-growing drone industry. It will use the information to inform NATE members, and the wireless infrastructure industry as a whole, on best practices when implementing this technology into their tower repair, maintenance, inspection and construction strategy.

The committee will consist of the following members:

Greg Emerick (Sentera; licensed pilot)
Jim Goldwater (Bob Lawrence & Associates)
John Paul Jones (Tower & Turbine Technologies; licensed pilot)
Phil Larsen (HAZON Solutions; UAV pilot and student pilot)
Jimmy Miller (MillerCo; licensed pilot)
Todd Schlekeway (NATE)

“I believe that implementing the use of drones and remote sensors in tower operations will ultimately provide benefits to NATE members and the industry by improving safety and operational efficiencies,” Sentera’s Emerick said. “NATE has again demonstrated that it is an influential thought leader on an important topic,” he elaborated.

This new committee has already been busy, participating in recent National Telecommunications Information Administration stakeholder meetings concerning drone technology and intends to keep an open dialogue with everyone involved in the space, including the Federal Aviation Administration, policymakers, regulators and others, and then report its findings to the wireless industry and NATE.