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The Helium network is basically just IoT miners meshed with LoraWAN. The description and picture very much do sound like a solar powered Helium node.

Watch the video and do an image search on "helium crypto solar power". You will see many devices that look like that. Crypto is a plausible explanation.

Final paragraph:

"Fonarow pointed out that cryptocurrency is just one idea the city has heard. Trail officials may learn more once the locked boxes are opened."

> once the locked boxes are opened

Find someone with a big hammer or drill?

They want to open these boxes in a way that minimizes the risk of destroying any evidence they contain.

Or good at locksport

or perhaps a means to control hobbyist drones at a longer range...

.. exactly. My brother is an ARC-GIS engineer with BLM and the have a fleet of drones that tie into SAT info.