Villagers in Hakkari Connecting Cell Phone Network Through ‘Dronecell’

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Since cell phone networks fail to provide coverage in Akçalı village located in the Yüksekova district of Hakkari province, citizens have been putting their them in a box that they elevate with a drone, and communicating with loved ones through wireless earphones.

Residents of Akçalı (Kertînîs) village located 5 kilometers from the district and of population 800 resent the lack of cell phone reception in their village despite its proximity to the center, and complain particularly of their inability to communicate with their loved ones in jail and in military service, reports Erkan Çapraz in his piece in Yüksekovahaber.

"I'd bought a drone to talk to my brother in jail"

Village resident Ali Yücel Kaya owns the only drone in the village. Kaya puts the phones of those interested in boxes, which he then elevates 10 metres with the drone, in exchange for 1 Lira.

Speaking to Erkan Çapraz, Kaya said:

"In my 12 months of military service I spoke with my mother only once, and that was when she called me from the city center.

"When my brother went to jail we were unable to talk to him. We could only talk to him from the city center.

"Our village is 5 kilometers from the center, and there's still no network. I am calling out to the authorities, please help us here.

"Because my mother is sick, she can't talk with my jailed brother. I bought a drone to be able to speak with him. When we attach the phone and fly the drone up to a certain height, we can talk to him through bluetooth earphones.

"When there is an emergency in the middle of the night or a pregnant woman needing medical attention, I use the drone.

"We can't climb the hills in the village because of the wild animals there, so everybody just prefers the drone." (EKN/PU)