Exchanging a message including drone-coupled capability information between a drone-coupled user equipment and a component of a terrestrial wireless communication subscriber network

A method of operating a network component of a terrestrial wireless communication subscriber network, comprising:

• receiving a message from a drone-coupled user equipment (UE) that identifies a drone-coupled capability information of the drone-coupled UE;
• and
• determining that the drone-coupled UE is capable of engaging in a flying state based on the received message.

A drone-coupled user equipment (UE), comprising:

• a memory;
• at least one processor coupled to the memory and a wireless communications interface and configured to:
• transmit a message to a network component of a terrestrial wireless communication subscriber network that identifies a drone-coupled capability information of the drone-coupled UE, the drone-coupled capability information being configured to indicate, to the network component, that the drone-coupled UE is capable of engaging in a flying state.