As carriers seek the “killer app” that will help them make back all the money they have spent on 5G, T-Mobile stands out. Its ventures into autonomous vehicles, drone racing and robotics seem to both unlock exciting future applications for next generation technology but also burnish its hip “uncarrier” creds.
If you’ve seen drone racing, you will know it is a new screamingly fast-paced entrant into the sport of racing, where pilots guide custom-built racing drones traveling 90 MPH through courses that mix virtual and physical obstacles. T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) has joined with The Drone Racing League (DRL), to launch the first 5G-enabled drone, capable of live streaming high-definition, immersive first-person-view race video directly to the internet via T-Mobile’s 5G wireless network.
“Our 5G-enabled drone will get them excited about new ways they will be able to experience the immersive thrill of professional drone racing,” said DRL President Rachel Jacobson. “The Drone Racing League is a perfect case study for showcasing the benefits of T-Mobile 5G wireless technology with our high-speed racing drones.”
Being a part of drone racing allows T-Mobile to market to a younger demographic that not only enjoys the fast-paced sport but “loves innovation,” according to Jacobsen. The highest concentration of fans are in the age 13-34 category, she added.
“DRL is an opportunity for brands to align with an innovative, technology-first sport,” Jacobsen said in an interview with Ad Exchanger.
In the field of robots that augment humans to enhance productivity and safety, T-Mobile is collaborating with Sarcos Robotics to integrate T-Mobile 5G into the Sarcos Guardian® XT™ — a remote-controlled robotic system designed to help humans safely work in hazardous conditions, performing tasks such as lifting heavy materials or using power tools at significant heights.
With T-Mobile 5G integration, the companies aim to improve performance and response time for remote operations, so the robots can perform tasks more quickly and more in tune with their operator’s movements. Initially, the 5G network will carry video from the remote viewing system. In the second phase, the robot will be controlled over the network.
Additionally, the carrier is invested in possibly the highest profile glimpse of the 5G future, autonomous vehicles. Early last month, T-Mobile’s 5G network helped launch one of the first commercial driverless car services in the United States, Inside Towers reported. The service, known as Halo, began in Las Vegas, and allows visitors and residents to summon a driverless all-electric vehicle, which they drive to their destination. When fully deployed in the city, Halo has dreams of replacing the need for thousands of personally owned cars, creating a more “traffic-free, carbon-free, blue-sky world.”
What’s next? Applications just closed for the fall 2021 T-Mobile Accelerator Wellness Technology Program, which will feature startups developing 5G applications that promote healthy living and improve quality of life, from personal fitness wearables that enhance sports performance to telehealth services, digital wellness applications and biomedical monitoring.
Companies participating in T-Mobile Accelerator will work directly with technology and business leaders at T-Mobile as they build, test and bring to market new products and services that access T-Mobile’s 5G network. The fall program runs through early November 2021, and will culminate in a Demo Day where participants showcase their accomplishments. Stay tuned.
By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor
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