A wireless communication system beamforms an uplink from an airborne transceiver to a terrestrial transceiver. The airborne transceiver comprises antennas that have an antenna type an aperture beamwidth. The airborne transceiver transfers a transceiver ID to the terrestrial transceiver. The terrestrial transceiver initiates aerial uplink beamforming for the antenna type and the aperture beamwidth based on the airborne transceiver ID. The terrestrial transceiver determines uplink beamforming metrics and altitude for the airborne transmitter. The terrestrial transceiver generates an uplink beamforming instruction and an uplink power instruction for the antenna type and the aperture beamwidth of the airborne transceiver based on the uplink beamforming metrics and altitude. The terrestrial transceiver transfers the uplink beamforming instruction and the uplink power instruction to the airborne transceiver. The airborne transceiver beamforms, amplifies, and transmits an uplink wireless signal to the terrestrial transceiver per the uplink beamforming instruction and the uplink power instruction.