Soon, companies will be able to get a data plan for their drones. 
 
 Verizon Communications Inc. said Thursday it would begin working with drone makers to connect the flying vehicles to Verizon’s wireless network. Drone data plans will start at $25 a month for 1 gigabyte of data and $80 for 10 gigabytes, company officials said in an interview. The prices roughly align with what consumers pay now for data. 
 
 Initially, the data... 

 Verizon 
 
 Verizon's drone venture is taking off. 
 
 Having conducted a series of successful trials across the country, the US telecommunications giant announced on Thursday a program to connect drones to its LTE wireless network. 
 
 The drones could be used with various internet-enabled communications apps to, for instance, survey trouble zones in an emergency, safely monitor high-voltage lines and pipelines, and keep an eye on crops. 
 
 The project -- called the Airborne LTE Operations, or ALO, initiative -- has been in the works since 2014 and tests are ongoing. 
 
 One technical trial, in partnership with American Aerospace Technologies, involved an unmanned aerial vehicle with a 17-foot wingspan. The craft was used to test advanced aerial inspection techniques. Another trial involves a simulation exercise designed to show how connected drones can help first responders deal with disaster recovery. 
 
 Verizon is looking to launch a new series of services through net-connected drones by 2017. 
 
 AT&T is also working on connecting drones to its wireless network, teaming up with Qualcomm in September. 
 
 First published October 6, 9:18 a.m. PT. 
 
 Update, 10:38 a.m.: Adds details.
– Starting next year, Verizon will be selling data plans for drones, the Wall Street Journal reports. But what seems semi-ridiculous at first glance may actually be a useful tool. In an announcement Thursday, Verizon says companies could use drones connected to its LTE wireless network to monitor things like wildfires and oil pipelines. Drones with data plans could send photos and stream videos directly back to devices on the ground while still in flight. According to CNET, Verizon has been working on data-enabled drones since 2014 and has been testing the system, known as Airborne LTE Operations (or ALO), around the US. In addition to allowing transmission of images and data, a wireless network would allow drones to be piloted remotely. At the moment—due both to technological limitations, as well as federal regulations—commercial drones must stay within view of the pilot. A shift to remote piloting would enable things like Amazon's proposed delivery-by-drone service. Verizon says it will also use the technology to turn drones into mobile cell towers during emergencies. A test flight Thursday hoped to show how much area could be provided with wireless coverage from a drone, Fortune reports. Drone data plans are expected to cost between $25 and $80 per month depending on the size.