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Tethered unmanned aerial vehicle-based systems and methods associated with cell sites and cell towers

  • US 9,669,945 B2
  • Filed: 06/11/2015
  • Issued: 06/06/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method with a tethered Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) associated with a cell site, the method comprising:

  • causing the UAV to fly at or near the cell site comprising a cell tower with cell site components while the UAV is tethered at or near the cell site via a connection, wherein flight of the UAV at or near the cell site is constrained based on the connection such that the UAV is an attached device to the cell site;

    performing one or more functions for a cell site audit via the UAV at or near the cell site while the UAV is flying tethered at or near the cell site;

    storing the UAV at the cell site in a housing while the UAV is not in use, wherein the housing comprises a door that selectively opens and closes for the UAV, and wherein the housing is one of i) on a cell tower at the cell site and ii) at or part of a shelter or cabinet at the cell site, wherein the one or more functions comprise functions related to a cell site audit which is performed by a user remotely from the cell site with the UAV already located at the cell site,wherein the cell site audit comprises obtaining data remotely via the UAV tethered at or near the cell site, the data comprising a plurality of a down tilt angle of one or more antennas of the cell site components, plumb of the cell tower and/or the one or more antennas, azimuth of the one or more antennas, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates, dimension of the cell site components, equipment type and serial number of the cell site components, connections between the cell site components, and status of a lighting rod and warning light on the cell tower.

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