05 March 2025

Vodafone has begun piloting a new type of drone designed to help restore connectivity to mobile masts, such as when their underground data capacity cables are cut or damaged. The drones employ a special optical wireless link.

The drones, which could also be deployed as part of disaster recovery situations, are currently being tested in Seville, Spain and use a wireless optical connectivity link that has been developed by the Taara Project as part of the Google X programme.

Vodafone worked with Taara to demonstrate how two industrial-grade drones equipped with Taara’s light beam terminals could be used to deliver a temporary connection. In the test, one drone was securely tethered to a mast, and the other to a nearby Vodafone data transport hub.
The drones equipped with Taara briefly established a two-way connection over 3km of distance, demonstrating how novel combinations of new technologies could potentially be used in future to address infrastructure challenges.

The backhaul fibre optic cables that link their masts are usually buried in the ground, making them susceptible to damage by mechanical diggers and sometimes even vandalism. Across Europe, Vodafone on average deals with between 75-100 such cable breaks every year.