C2 over LTE

Overview

C2 over LTE lets you fly Auterion-powered drones over the mobile network (3G/4G), without using a traditional radio link. Once enabled, both the drone and the Ground Control Station (GCS) connect through a secure private network, allowing you to operate the aircraft from anywhere with Cellular coverage.

This is the perfect solution for:

  • BVLOS missions

  • Remote inspections

  • Emergency & disaster-response operations

  • Distributed fleet management

This feature is available from AMC v1.38.0 and requires an Auterion Suite Enterprise subscription. To obtain an Enterprise subscription, please contact us here.

Before You Start

You Need

  • A drone equipped with a working LTE connection (SIM installed and active).

  • Auterion Suite with an active Enterprise subscription.

  • A Ground Control Station running AMC v1.38.0 or later and logged in with your Pilot Profile.

  • Tailscale Client installed on your GCS device.

Our C2 over LTE technology leverages Tailscale VPN to establish the secure link between drone and GCS.

Follow the instruction below to install the Tailscale Client on your GCS. Our App will take care of the vehicle configuration!

Android

Download the Tailscale app for Android here.

MacOS

Download Tailscale app for MacOS here or install using Homebrew in Terminal with

Windows

Download Tailscale app for Windows here

Linux

Download Tailscale app for Linux here or install using Terminal:

Vehicle Setup (Drone)

  1. Open Auterion Suite and go to your vehicle page.

  2. Click the double-cog icon next to the vehicle name.

  3. Scroll to the bottom and enable Remote Operations.

  4. Open the Software tab and install the C2 over LTE App on the drone.

  5. Wait until the App is successfully deployed and confirm that the Remote Operations Indicator has turned green.

Your vehicle is now enabled to be controlled over the internet! 🚀

GCS Setup (Ground Control Station)

The following steps are required to enable your GCS to control your UAV via the cellular network.

This feature is only available from AMC v1.38.0

  1. Open AMC on your device.

  2. Go to Settings → Comm Links and select the Remote Operations tab.

  3. Click Enable GCS.

  4. AMC will display a unique Tailscale authorization key.

  5. Copy the key and follow the steps in the next section to register the GCS in the Tailscale app.

Tip: Each device needs its own key, but you only do this once per device.

Register the GCS in the Tailscale Network

If you're using Android

  1. Open the Tailscale App and Select the cogwheel icon on the sign in page.

  2. Select Accounts.

  3. Click the three button menu on the top right and select Use an auth key.

  4. Paste the auth key received from AMC and select Add Account.

  5. Your device should be shown in the list as active select your device name.

  6. Under Tailscale Addresses copy the IPv4. We will need this information to complete the Registration in AMC.

If you're using MacOS

  1. Open Terminal, enter following command and place your key copied from AMC at the end of it.

  1. Terminal may ask for your password. Enter the password for your computer.

  2. Enter following command into terminal to receive the IP address:

  1. Copy the resulting IPv4 address of your device.

If you're using Windows

  1. Open the Command line, enter following command and place your key copied from AMC at the end of it.

  1. Enter:

  1. Copy the IPv4 address of your device.

If you're using Linux

  1. Open Terminal, enter following command and place your key copied from AMC at the end of it.

  1. Enter:

  1. Copy the IPv4 address of your device.

Final Registration in AMC

  1. Switch back to AMC.

  2. Ensure Enable GCS is still on.

  3. Paste this address previously copied from Tailscale into the IP Address field in AMC.

  1. Click Register device.

  2. Click Connect to activate the device.

To ensure the vehicle is connected to LTE. Ensure that it is set to active in the quick settings menu.

If you accidentally close the registration window, you do not need to repeat the Tailscale registration. Click Enable GCS again to reopen the window, then paste the IPv4 address.

Configuring Joysticks for Cellular Control

To use joystick commands over a cellular connection, you must configure the joystick correctly on Pilot Pro or any GCS with joystick support.

1. Enable joystick input

  1. In AMC, go to Controller → Joystick → General.

  2. Enable Joystick input.

2. Configure joystick parameters

These parameter settings apply to AOS 4.3. For other AOS versions, check the corresponding documentation.

  1. Enter Advanced mode by quickly clicking the Auterion logo in the top-left corner five times.

  2. When the dialog appears, select Switch to advanced.

  3. Click the Auterion logo again and select Advanced → Parameters.

  4. In the parameter list, search for COM_RC_IN_MODE, set it to MAVL 1 > MAVL 2 > RC, then click Save. This configuration ensures joystick control is prioritized.

  5. Search for COM_RC_LOSS_T, set the value to 1s, and click Save. This value defines how long the vehicle waits without a new command from RC or joystick before treating the control link as lost.

Verifying LTE Connectivity

To ensure your link is working with LTE after having completed the setup:

On a GCS with 2 links:

When two links are active, the Dual Link icon is shown in the top header bar.

  1. Select the Dual Link icon.

  2. In the pop-up, select the LTE connection.

  3. On your GCS, disable the LTE and WiFi connection.

The Dual Link icon updates to show the new active link (in this case the Primary Radio link).

Safety Notes for Operators

  • Confirm stable LTE signal before arming the drone, especially for BVLOS.

  • Follow all applicable local aviation regulations.

  • If latency increases, avoid low-altitude or high-precision flying.

  • Keep a fail-safe procedure ready (RTH, geofence, or backup link if available).

Updating from early C2 over LTE versions

If the vehicle has previously been used with the legacy C2 over LTE app (earlier than v0.1.0), you must perform a one-time re-authentication.

  1. In a browser, go to http://10.41.1.1/apps.

  2. Click the cogwheel icon on the C2 over LTE app and select Settings.

  3. Set Force Reauth from false to true and click Save.

  4. The app will then re-authenticate with Auterion Suite and register automatically. In the logs this will appear similar as:

  1. After the registration is complete, set Force Reauth back to false and click Save again.

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