Remember when Facebook was tipped to square up against Google’s Project Loon by launching internet-producing drones around as part of Internet.org?
Well, it looks like that initiative may finally get off the ground (see what we did there?).
According to reports, the V-shaped solar-powered drones, which have been given the name Aquila (a Latin word for eagle), are almost ready to take off from an airfield to begin its mission of delivering free internet to billions of people, particularly in remote areas, who have little to no connectivity.
The Aquila has a a foam core wrapped with carbon-fibre, weighs a massive 400 kilograms, can fly at an altitude of between 18 000 and 27 000 metres for up to three months, can cover an 80 kilometre radius and has a wingspan as wide as a Boeing 737’s, according to Facebook vice president of engineering, Jay Parikh.
The Internet.org Connectivity Lab‘s head, Yael Maguire said his team has developed laser technology that can produce internet speeds of up 10 Gbps.
“This is an incredible milestone,” Maguire told FastCo, “that’s about ten times the state of the art.”
Just like with the Internet.org app distribution, Facebook plans to team up with mobile networks and governments to carry the project out.
The Aquila project is expected to begin testing in a few months time in the US.
[Source – WIRED, images – Facebook]
