Air New Zealand, teaming up with Spark New Zealand, has stepped boldly into the future by piloting a robot-tethered drone within a private 5G network at an Auckland warehouse. This initiative isn’t just a flashy show of tech muscle. It marks a pivotal moment in how New Zealand embraces 5G technology, proving its real-world value in industrial settings. By blending telecommunications innovation and automated robotics, the project throws a spotlight on private 5G networks’ potential to revolutionize business operations—especially in sectors hungry for precision, speed, and security.
The heart of this venture lies in Spark’s groundbreaking move to develop New Zealand’s first dedicated private 5G network designed exclusively for business needs. Unlike the public 5G that most of us know, which blankets large areas for general consumers, private 5G networks act like a VIP lane for businesses, bringing them bespoke wireless infrastructure. This exclusivity translates into heightened security and reliability, as well as the opportunity to finely tune the network for specific use cases, such as powering robot-tethered drones. The uniqueness and technical demands of the drone’s operations called for this tailored network environment, highlighting 5G’s hallmark features: ultra-low latency and wide bandwidth, especially when rolled out as a standalone network.
Leading the charge in 5G technology, Spark’s work with a 5G standalone network—where cell towers connect directly to the 5G core rather than piggybacking on 4G hardware—opened the door to new capabilities. Among these, network slicing stands out as a game changer: it lets operators carve the network into distinct “slices,” each optimized for different services or applications. Imagine tuning a performance engine just right for one specific task. That’s exactly what happened here—the network slice powering Air New Zealand’s robot-tethered drone was crafted to ensure flawless real-time control, navigation, and data transmission within the warehouse. This precision allows the drone to tackle complicated challenges like indoor inspections and inventory checks, areas where human labor can struggle against ergonomics, safety risks, or speed requirements.
The drone itself is a marvel born from the union of several tech heavyweights: Air New Zealand, Spark, Ericsson, and Canadian robotics firm Cypher Robotics. It’s not just a flying gadget; it’s tethered both physically and digitally—physically by a cable to ensure constant power and data flow, and digitally by the private 5G network for wireless command and feedback. This hybrid approach sidesteps many of the traditional issues drones encounter indoors, like limited battery life or unreliable Wi-Fi. The tethered design plus private 5G connectivity creates a near seamless automation experience, making operations smarter and safer while reducing reliance on human workers for tedious or hazardous tasks.
Mark Beder, Spark’s Customer Director for Enterprise and Government, hit the nail on the head by describing the synergy between Spark’s connectivity prowess and Air New Zealand’s complex logistics needs. This project isn’t just a tech demo; it signals a shift where private 5G networks become the backbone for advanced automation solutions across industries. It paves the way for enterprises to pursue higher efficiency, scalability, and safety in their operations. Beyond the airline and warehouse scenario, the implications ripple across sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, transportation, and government services, all hungry for the kind of tailored network control and reliability that private 5G makes possible.
This leap forward for New Zealand’s digital landscape is further strengthened by Spark’s partnerships with global telecom and tech leaders—including Nokia, Ericsson, Mavenir, and Amazon Web Services—which are building a robust ecosystem around standalone 5G. Integrating innovations such as multi-access edge computing (MEC), cloud-native 5G core networks, and IoT connectivity isn’t just future-proofing; it’s actively laying the infrastructure for a whole new wave of enterprise digital transformation. On top of that, Samsung’s collaboration with Spark to launch a 5G network in Christchurch amplifies the nationwide push to move beyond major cities, reaching regional and rural areas and combating digital divides. Government backing also helps smooth the path, encouraging broader 5G adoption.
Private 5G networks are gaining steam because they put control back into the hands of businesses: data sovereignty, optimized performance for mission-critical applications, and bulletproof security. These factors translate directly into operational efficiencies and cost savings, while opening up new avenues for cutting-edge use cases like augmented reality for maintenance, real-time analytics, and robotics automation. The Air New Zealand project isn’t just a proof of concept, it’s a showcase of what happens when innovative connectivity meets practical industrial challenges head-on.
In sum, the collaboration between Air New Zealand and Spark to deploy a robot-tethered drone within a private 5G network captures the transformative potential of this technology for industrial and commercial settings. Harnessing a 5G standalone core and leveraging network slicing, the project delivers a reliable, optimized wireless environment designed specifically for robotics control in a warehouse context. As Spark leads the way with its ongoing 5G advancements and strategic partnerships, New Zealand’s digital infrastructure continues to evolve, setting the stage for smarter, more connected industries nationwide. This initiative is not merely a glimpse of what’s possible; it’s an invitation for businesses to rethink, redesign, and reinvigorate their operational capabilities for a rapidly digitalizing world.
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