--- title: Flying mobile base stations description: Lime Microsystems builds open source hardware chips to enable any type of wireless communication, called software defined radio. Elre-robotics makes app-enabled open source drones with Snappy Ubuntu Core. Are you able to create flying mobile base stations? That is exactly what Lime did with an Erlecopter. Imagine emergency or military ad- […] url: https://canonical.com/blog/flying-mobile-base-stations?format=md --- 1. [Blog](https://canonical.com/blog) 2. Article --- [Maarten Ectors](https://canonical.com/blog/author/maarten-ectors "More about Maarten Ectors") 9 July 2015 # Flying mobile base stations [IoT](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/iot) [robotics](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/robotics) [Telco](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/telco) [Telecommunications](https://canonical.com/blog/tag/telecommunications) --- Share the article [Lime Microsystems](http://www.limemicro.com/) builds open source hardware chips to enable any type of wireless communication, called software defined radio. [Elre-robotics](http://erlerobotics.com/blog/home-creative/) makes app-enabled open source drones with Snappy Ubuntu Core. Are you able to create flying mobile base stations? That is exactly what Lime did with an [Erlecopter](http://erlerobotics.com/blog/diy-drone/). Imagine emergency or military ad-hoc networks being set-up. However in most cases you will not be flying the network continuously. You could use a drone to transport a mini-base station with cables up on a small hill or a high building in rural areas. This would substantially lower costs of rolling out a mesh network of small antennas compared to installing big antennas. ## Sign up for our newsletter Get the latest Canonical news and updates in your inbox. Work email: \*I agree to receive information about Canonical's products and services. By submitting this form, I confirm that I have read and agree to [Canonical's Privacy Policy](https://canonical.com/legal/dataprivacy). Sign up ## Share on --- ## Related posts [### Arduino® VENTUNO™ Q is available for pre-order with Ubuntu pre-installed](https://canonical.com/blog/arduino-ventuno-q-is-available-for-pre-order-with-ubuntu-pre-installed) London, UK – August 25, 2026 – Following our initial collaboration announcement in March 2026, Canonical and Arduino (a subsidiary of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc.) are excited... [Canonical](https://canonical.com/blog/author/canonical) 25 August 2026 [### Advantech AOM-2721 is now Ubuntu Certified](https://canonical.com/blog/advantech-aom-2721-ubuntu-certified) Canonical announces that the Advantech AOM-2721 is officially joining the list of Ubuntu Certified Hardware. [Mikhail Khazov](https://canonical.com/blog/author/khazov-m) 13 August 2026 [### So you need to add microcontrollers to your fleet: now what?](https://canonical.com/blog/microcontrollers-ubuntu-core-golioth) Your Ubuntu Core fleet is running beautifully. OTA updates roll out in minutes. Every device is strictly confined, cryptographically attested, and carrying a 10 to 15 year long... [Jonathan Beri](https://canonical.com/blog/author/jmberi) 18 June 2026 [### A look into Ubuntu Core 26: Building a local AI inference appliance in a virtual machine](https://canonical.com/blog/ubuntu-core-26-ai-box) Welcome to this blog series which explores innovative uses of Ubuntu Core. Throughout this series, Canonical’s Engineers will show what you can build with this Core 26 release,... [Gabriel Aguiar Noury](https://canonical.com/blog/author/g-aguiar-noury) 16 June 2026