The upcoming AT&T and Verizon 5G rollout create significant headaches for the US aviation community. The latest comes from the Helicopter Association International (HAI) revealed Thursday that US helicopter fleets nationwide might be grounded next week when 5G towers are switched on.

On Dec. 19, AT&T and Verizon plan to turn on their 5G towers as concerns over air safety have delayed the debut of the super-fast cellular network, originally scheduled to launch in early December.

HAI's statement read, "transmission from these towers have been demonstrated to interfere with radar altimeters, widely used in helicopters and other aircraft to measure altitude." 

Over 1,450 Notices to Air Missions (NOTAMs) were issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) across the country next week around 5G towers that AT&T and Verizon will activate. This means that areas around the towers will be considered "hazards" and unsafe for helicopters to operate and may affect "a significant portion of commercial, law enforcement, and other helicopter operations," HAI said.