Fewer FreeStar5G systems are needed to cover the same area, significantly reducing the network’s energy consumption, said Cardona.
Josh Weinberg, an electronic technician at Electronic Design & Development Corp. (ED2), works on an antenna component at 7636 N. Oracle Road in Tucson. FreeFall 5G is a partnership between two companies, ED2 and FreeFall Aerospace.
Rodriguez said the 5G industry coalesced around phased-array antenna technology years before any applications were actually tested in the field, but it became clear that existing solutions are complicated, power hungry, expensive and difficult to manage.
FreeFall 5G’s antenna also is a relatively low-profile device that can be mounted on existing structures like streetlights, Rodriguez said.
Cardona and Rodriguez acknowledged that many industry players are working to become leaders in 5G technology, including major cellular carriers and device makers, midsized tech companies and dozens of startups.
But the FreeStar5G antenna system has several advantages and is production-ready, Cardona said, and the company is looking for industry partners to help bring it to market.
The partner companies have been backed by two homegrown venture-capital funds.
UAVenture Capital, a Tucson-based firm that invests exclusively in University of Arizona science and technology, announced an undisclosed investment in FreeFall Aerospace in 2018.
DVI Equity Partners, the technology investment arm of Tucson’s Diamond Ventures, led an initial venture capital round for ED2 in 2019 with a $2.6 million investment.
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