Is 5G dangerous for the aviation industry?
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You have likely heard of 5G technology, a term that refers to the fifth generation of cellular data technology. 5G is a collection of technologies that work together to form a specific technology standard that other devices can connect to for internet access.
There has however been some debate about how safe the technology is. Most of these concerns have been alleviated by studies except for in the aviation industry.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has revealed it wants this tech far away from airports as it may interfere with the safety of airplanes. But are these concerns legitimate? Can wireless technology really interfere with the aviation industry?
5G waves operate through a channel called the C band. For reference, most home WiFi routers transmit and receive data at 2.4 GHz whereas the new cell towers built to transmit data over the C band operate within the range of 3.7 to 3.98 Gigahertz.
This is very close to the band in which an airplane’s radio altimeters operate (between 4.2 to 4.5 GHz). So how does this become problematic? What effects does this range have on airplanes? Are there measures that can be incorporated to make 5G safe everywhere? Watch this video to find out.