Aura CEO Urges FCC Action on 450 MHz Petition

Bill Tolpegin, CEO of Aura Network Systems, spoke with an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks on the company’s 2021 request for a rulemaking on expanding the use of air-ground radiotelephone service channels between 454.675-454.975 MHz and 459.675-459.975 MHz for voice and data communications, including by drones (see 2109230049). Aura’s nationwide network “is ideally suited to meet the near-term need for spectrum for networked [command and control] services that will allow uncrewed aircraft to safely fly beyond visual line of sight in controlled airspace,” said a filing posted Tuesday in RM-11912.