How India's 5G rollout could compromise the safety of aircraft in flight

A US FAA bulletin says 5G airwaves could interfere with the functioning of an aircraft's radar altimeter, a critical piece of equipment that measures the height of the plane from the ground below

The US is set for a geographically limited 5G rollout this Christmas, after a bumper $81 billion spectrum auction earlier this year. Just as the rollout date nears, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has sounded alarm bells over potentially fatal consequences of 5G interference on aircraft. Similar consequences could apply in India, where 5G spectrum auction is scheduled in January 2022, with the rollout beginning later next year (though reports suggest impending delays).

A Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) official said that the regulator was “aware of the FAA bulletin but there was no cause of alarm yet