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Case Study: Cobb County Drone Unit

Case Study: Cobb County Drone Unit

From Dead Zones to Stadiums: Keeping Drones Online with AC-Fleet

Profile

  • Agency: Cobb County Sheriff’s Office (Georgia, USA)
  • Unit: Drone Unit
  • Fleet: 9 drones (DJI Matrice 300s & Autel Evo Max 4Ts), supported by 6 pilots
  • Use Cases: Live-stream drone operations at large-scale events, search & rescue, crowd monitoring, SWAT operations, mobile command operations

Challenge

Cobb County’s drone unit frequently operates in high-traffic public venues such as the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, county fairs and presidential campaign stops. Cellular connectivity during these large-scale events can suffer due to congestion and coverage challenges. Live-streaming drone footage is critical for safety and situational awareness, but maintaining reliable connectivity has always been a challenge, especially when operating multiple drones, staff devices, and a laptop simultaneously.

They needed a solution that:

  • Handles heavy bandwidth reliably in congested environments
  • Supports multiple simultaneous connections (controllers, laptop, phones)
  • Works in rural “dead zones”
  • Stays operational under extreme weather conditions
  • Offers both mobile (vehicle-based) and flexible (portable) deployment setups

Solution

To enable connectivity for drone operations in variety of different scenarios, the team used two complementary solutions:

  • AirgainConnect® Fleet™: An all-in-one 5G gateway combining modem, GPS/GNSS, Wi-Fi 6, and high-performance antennas. Supports up to four eSIM profiles for seamless multi-carrier redundancy. The gateway was installed on the vehicle roof using a mag-mount for ease of deployment (see picture).
  • AirgainConnect® Go-Kit Pro: A portable, battery-powered version of the same integrated solution, housed in compact rugged case suitable in scenarios where vehicle-mounted is not practical.
View AirgainConnect® Fleet™
View AirgainConnect® Go-Kit Pro

“The AC-Fleet system provided us with the fastest and most reliable internet connection we have experienced within the Drone Unit. We were able to livestream multiple drones, monitor livestreams on computers, run our mobile drone detection system, and keep multiple cellphones connected, all from one AC-Fleet system. During the peak times of the event, we did not experience any slowdown in performance. A drone is only as good as the livestream, and AC-Fleet gave us the capability to have a solid connection to the internet.”

— Sgt. Jeremy Blake
Drone Program Coordinator
Cobb County Sheriff’s Office

Operational Results

Flawless Live Streaming
At the MLB All-Star Games, AC-Fleet delivered uninterrupted live video—managing two drones, 2 mobile phones, an Axon De-Drone trailer and Fotokite Drones, and a laptop even during peak traffic. Usual carrier solutions that use mobile phones or hotspot devices failed.

Coverage in Dead Zones
A destination known for poor reception—near a large church in West Cobb—proved no match for AC-Fleet; live streaming performed flawlessly where nothing else worked.

Connectivity Support for Other Key Systems
Another mobile surveillance system experienced issues with its built-in connectivity. Once connected to the AC-Fleet via Ethernet, the system performed better than it had all weekend.

Drone Operations Enhanced
AC-Fleet supported multi-drone, multi-feed monitoring using platforms like Axon Air—where operators can view map overlays, drone status, and live video feeds in real-time.

Support for Multiple Mission Types
Other use cases include crowd monitoring (state fairs, public protests), search and rescue missions, and operational coordination with regional helicopter units, especially in inaccessible or time-sensitive scenarios.

Key Features

  • Vehicle-mounted magnetic-mount lander: Quickly integrates via Wi-Fi or Ethernet with drone controllers and command laptops.
  • Portable AC Go-Kit Pro (battery-powered): Ideal for deployment from vehicles, buses, trailers, or command centers where a permanent solution is not practical.
  • Supports multiple devices and systems: Seamlessly handled up to two drone controllers, a laptop, multiple phones, and other full systems, via wi-fi and ethernet
  • Superior coverage: Outperformed existing connectivity carrier solutions based on mobile phone or traditional router setups —even in cell dead zones and high-congestion venues